The Wasps Nest
by InnocentTraitor22
Summary: With the Dark Lord's return, Veronica must team up with old and new friends to prepare for the worst. But with a new baby and mounting risks, will she become an asset or a liabiliy? The Fourth Edition of the Worker Bee Saga.
1. Saying Goodbye

"You realize this could definitely cause some tension between you and Snape?"

Veronica scoffed, snapping Valerian pram and turning to the wizard. "Nonsense, we both have business on that train platform, and I'd like to see Severus Snape gripe about his beautiful partner and his child seeing him off" She sniffed and pulled a black leather leash from the door hook. "Now, here's where it gets weird."

Sirius found the feel of the leash and collar rather natural as he trotted down the concrete of King's Cross Station along side the pram. The station was crowded today, people bustling back and forth, but he drew no stares except the occasional smile from dog lovers. He sniffed and the ground and carefully pulled her through Platform 9 3/4 and found Harry trying to keep up with Mad-eye Moody.

Veronica spotted them as well and picked up the pace until she was along side them.

"Wha-Padfoot!" Moody sputtered as Harry's face lit up. "Are you barking mad?"

He glanced up and glared. "I expected more brains from you Lass."

"I'm just here to see my husband off" Veronica smirked, passing the leash off to Harry. "Here son, would you mind terribly holding my dear friend."

Harry smiled and nodded his thanks as Veronica rushed off to the head of the train and spotted Severus about to board.

"Severus!" She called, waving her arm as he looked up and dropped his jaw. Slipping out of line he rushed to greet her, stopping just short of a hug since they were in public.

"What are you doing here?" He looked around. "Where's Bla-I mean, the dog?"

"I found nice young man with a scar to watch him for me." Veronica smiled. "I had to see you off."

"You know it might have been dangerous."

"Is it dangerous just to leave the house now?" Veronica smiled coyly. "Besides." She bent down and lifted Valerian from the pram, letting him let out a few happy sounds before turning him to his father. "Your son wanted to see you off too."

"Did he now?" Severus sighed, waving his fingers in front of the boy's face and chuckling when he was caught by two small, soft fists. "I bet you're getting tired of your mother using you as an excuse to follow me everywhere, huh?"

Veronica gasped indignantly and swatted him playfully. "Don't you listen to him, Vallie. You're below mention."

"Professor Snape." A voice called behind him. "We must hurry."

Severus rolled his eyes before nodded. "Time to go."

"I'll miss you." Veronica grabbed his hand and kissed it. "Be safe."

"I will." He assured her before smiled a little and returning to the line.

Veronica watched him as he boarded and continued to stand there until the train had fully left the station, waving even if he could see her.

"Eh hem" She turned and found Mad Eye limping towards her, a leather leash in hand. "I Believe this belongs with you."

Padfoot trotted to her side and sat, looking up at the Auror sheepishly but the sentiment was not returned.

"You two need to be more careful." He scolded them, "Especially you." He nodded to the dog. "And you." He turned to Veronica, "You have a baby to be worrying about."

"I reckon I'm a sight safer than a lot of you are." Veronica sniffed. "I wish people would stop worrying about me, I'm the last person any of you should be concerned with."

Veronica left the platform the same way she came in, walking quickly until she heard a voice that made her skid to a stop and closed her eyes. "Oh damn." She whispered and turned around. "Narcissa, hi!"

Narcissa trotted up to her with a lipstick smile and without warning embraced her tightly. "Lucius is here, speak accordingly" She whispered in her ear before pulling away. "What a surprise!"

Lucius strolled up to the pair looking are clean cut as ever, as if the summer hadn't even happened.

"I was just seeing Severus off." Veronica hummed uncomfortably.

"Oh, good for you." Narcissa took her hands. "And look at that, a ring! At long last, we were starting to think Severus made it all up."

Veronica smiled tensely and looked around. "Well it was nice seeing you, but I had better get the baby home."

"I see you've gotten a dog." Lucius noted, eyeing Sirius critically. "Bit rough looking, isn't he?"

"He's a rescue." Veronica explained quickly. "Yeah, Severus wanted me to have a bit more security out there by myself. So, he brought him home from a shelter."

"Damn that man's pride. He should have come to me." Lucius muttered. "I have five purebred wolfhounds at home, I would have been glad to gift one for your safety."

"Mutts are healthier." Veronica shook her head. "less money on vets."

"A shelter dog? Are you sure that's safe with the new baby?" Narcissa fretted, eyeing Sirius cautiously. "You just never know what sort of upbringing they've had."

Sirius yawned loudly and put himself between Narcissa and Veronica dutifully, looking up at the blonde with a small woof as Veronica scratched behind his ear.

"I'm sure we'll be fine." She assured them. "Now if you'll excuse me, it's the baby's first time in such a crowded place and I don't want to prolong it."

She left them abruptly and made for the train back to Diagon Alley quickly. Sirius sat beside her as she fussily picked at her finger nails and cuticles until she hissed, and her thumb started to bleed. With a whine he placed his chin on her lap, looking up at her until she sighed and began to scratch his head again.

From the Alley they flooed back to the cabin and Sirius was finally free to change back once more.

"Well that was an event" he noted. "I haven't seen those two in over a decade and they haven't changed a bit."

"I wasn't expecting to see them today." Veronica shook her head. "it threw me, I hope it wasn't too obvious."

"You clearly weren't calm." Sirius remarked. "But I don't think they were suspicious of anything. After all, why would they be?"

"You're right, you're right." Veronica settled down with Valerian and sighed. "I just need to relax. I have nothing to fear." She glanced at him and shrugged. "Do you mind if I feed him in front of you?"

Sirius blinked but shook his head. "No, no, by all means. It's only natural."

Veronica nodded and unclipped her nursing bra before lifting the fussing infant to her breast. "Don't tell Severus." She laughed, "He'd have a heart attack, you'd have thought he was the one raised Catholic."

Sirius grumbled under her breath before glancing at her. "May I be frank?"

"Please do."

"I haven't seen too much of you and Severus together, as you know." Sirius began. "What I saw two years ago, I couldn't get too much of a read off of until that knight under the tree. However, our mutual friend, Remus, is concerned."

"Concerned?" Veronica winced a little as Val went at her nipple with furious hunger. "Whatever for?"

"He's afraid Severus's affection maybe a little too…" He paused for a moment to search for the proper word. "possessive to be healthy."

Veronica scoffed at this, but Sirius shrugged. "Like I said, I don't know enough to say, but from what I know about Severus it does sound like him."

"Severus is many things." Veronica leaned back "He is over-protective, he is easily anxious, and he's not prone to sentiment. But he's not possessive."

"Is that why he didn't want you to even come to the train station today?" Sirius pointed out and Veronica shrugged.

"Like I said, he is paranoid and over-protective. That doesn't make him possessive. Trust me, I've known possessive men."

"Okay, okay." Sirius nodded, not convinced in the slightest.

In truth even though what he was doing could be considered a favor for the long-hated wizard, Sirius's motivations had nothing to do with that.

His reasons could be summed in a rather concise list.

1\. Curiosity.

Who was this woman whom he had heard so many stories about it didn't even sound like they were the same person? And what was going on in that head of her that she not only pined after the repugnant man, but had his baby?

2\. Sirius _needed _to get out of the house.

Not only was it growing more claustrophobic by the day, but the walls held too many bad memories for him to bear.

3\. He wanted to make sure the Snape's so called "reformation" was on the up and up.

He wasn't convinced, for even for a second. According to Dumbledore, Snape had been transmitting information for the Order for over a year before the Dark Lord fell the first time, but not before he spent four years currying favor from possibly the worst person in the world.

No, Sirius was not convinced.

In truth he wasn't fully convinced of Veronica's trustworthiness either. Yes, she had safe Harry twice before, putting herself in jeopardy doing so. But she didn't appear to be the strongest willed of people; and if it came right down to it, Sirius wasn't sure that she would cut it.

But all the same, she appeared to be a nice person that just wanted the best. So, even if it appeared to be a favor to his mortal enemy, Sirius would play the guard dog and keep her safe.


	2. Reading is Fundamental

"Hold it steady." Veronica instructed Sirius, handling the power drill she had borrowed from her father against the final metal bracket as Sirius leaned against metal shelf to keep it in place. The drill squealed shrilly and made him once but once it was over Veronica stepped back and admired their work.

"She's up." She smiled proudly, wiping beads of sweat from her brow and panting. "It took three days, but she's up."

The greenhouse was beautiful. Nothing fancy, as it had been bought as a simple starter kit from a catalog, but the fact that it was standing gave Veronica a rush of satisfaction.

"I can't thank you enough for this, Sirius. Honestly." She turned to the Wizard, who was dressed in a surprisingly well-fitting set of muggle shorts and a t shirt which had been borrowed from the left behind remnant of her brother's wardrobes. "I couldn't have done this without your help."

"It was a pleasure." Sirius smiled, wiping his face with a dish towel and looking around. "I don't think I've worked that hard since…" he thought a moment then realized there was never a time he didn't have he aid of his wand. "I don't think I've ever worked that hard."

"Well, I think you've earned a decent meal after that." Veronica patted his shoulder. "And a shower, you smell like a dog."

Sirius scoffed and turned to the baby reclined in his little seat, "What do you think, little man?" He asked, "Looks like we won't be seeing much of your mom from now on."

Veronica smiled and knelt down beside Val, who was struggling to keep his eyes open. "Someone's tired. I'm going to put him down for a nap, you take a shower first."

As they walked into the cabin, kicking off their dirt covered shoes as the did, Veronica spoked a large, tawny owl sitting on the table patiently.

"That's a Hogwarts owl" She recognized the tag on the bird's leg instantly. In its beak it clutched two envelopes which Veronica retrieved and stroked the owl's head. "Two letters, one from Severus and one from Harry."

Sirius quickly forgot about his shower and scrambled over to the table. "A letter from Harry? He hardly writes."

"Oh, you know how teenagers are." Veronica assured him. "here you go."

Veronica opened her own letter and began to read it eager.

_My dear Veronica, _

_I hope you have been settling into the new arrangements well, and that your new pet hasn't been making a mess of thinks for you. If he is, once again I would be happy to send round for animal control to take him off your hands. _

Veronica rolled her eyes at this and continued.

_I must admit, the castle is not the same without you in it, and I miss you dearly. There is a new Defense Professor sent on behalf of the Ministry that already has proven herself to be a nuisance to staff and student alike. Perhaps there is a chance you remember her from your days as a Ministry clerk, Delores Umbridge. I'm afraid Potter's situation has not entirely improved since the summer, if anything, I fear it may be worse due to the attitude his fellow students take against him. If you could, please encourage Black to write as often as he can, even if he doesn't get a response. The boy will not find the support he need within the castle, I fear. _

_Speaking of Black and Potter, I have taken the boy aside and provided him with a safer arrangement by which he may contact his Godfather. As you know I use the Hogwarts owls exclusively, not having much need for my own. Potter's white owl coming to the cabin would be too easily spotted and I fear that would put you in danger, so any letters to Black from the boy will be transferred through myself using a school owl. This way, anyone who sees it will think I am sending the letters, not him. _

_He was reluctant at first, but once I explained Black's new accommodations he came round to the idea. _

_I hope my own son is doing well and growing strong with your help. I wish I could be there, so that he does not forget his father and if you could please talk to him about me. I know you don't think he understands, but he does. As for yourself, once again I will miss our conversations in my office and at the Head table. I suspect the students and staff miss you as well, as they have asked of you several times over the past few days. I has assured them I am not holding you captive. _

_I hope to hear from you soon, my dear. _

_Much Love. _

_S.S_

Veronica's heart ached as she read the letter, finding herself almost missing the castle walls and the students. But the cabin offered so much more freedom. And, after all, it would due to have an infant in a school.

She turned to Sirius and found him reading Harry's letter over and over again until he finally sat it aside.

"I wish I could be with him" The wizard sighed. "He need support."

"I know he does." Veronica agreed, "Did he tell you about the new arrangement with the letters? Severus will be using a school owl to transport both our letters at once to avoid suspicion."

"Yes, I read about that." Sirius nodded. "It's a good plan."

Veronica bit her lip. "He also told me to encourage you to write Harry as often as you can, even if you don't get a response." She went on. "Because apparently the other students aren't taking to him so well after the campaigned the ministry has smeared his name with."

Sirius growled and shook all over in frustration. "What I wouldn't give to give those stuffed shirts a piece of my mind."

Veronica nodded. "Well, I haven't got an owl of my owl, so I suppose I'll have to invest in one." She sighed. "I'll have to go over the budget again, I can't believe I didn't think of this sooner."

"I'll cover it." Sirius insisted. "We'll both be using the bird, and I have money to spare."

"can you touch the Black money?"

"Don't need to, I was able to sell a fair bit of my parent's belongings from the house after I got out." Sirius explained. "That's how I got Harry that replacement broom. And there's more than enough left over for a hundred owls, let alone one."

Veronica considered this. She was too proud and too polite to ask for money, but Sirius was offering this.

Apparently, Sirius took her contemplation as a sign of hesitation and stormed off into his room, rummaging through his trunk until he found a small, heavy box of gold coins from which he withdrew ten.

"Here." He clapped the cash on the table. "This should be more than enough for the best owl they have."

Veronica glanced at him and smiled a little. "I don't know how to thank you."

"You letting me into your home is thank you enough for anything I do here." Sirius assured her. "If you like, I'll even watch the baby so you can go alone."

"Are you sure?" Veronica blinked. "I mean, have you ever…?"

"I used to baby sit Harry all the time." Sirius scoffed. "we'll be fine, won't we buddy?" He leaned down to Valerian and tickled the baby's sides until he squealed joyously. "You deserve some time to yourself."

Veronica smile a little and nodded. "You know, that sounds like a great idea." She patted his hand, "Thank you Sirius, I'm going to go shower and change. I won't be long out."

Once Veronica had instructed him on where the necessities are, and triple checked everything, she left for Diagon Alley.

Once Sirius heard the pop of her disappearance. He looked around and grabbed his wand from the table. Time to take a real look around.

For the moment, Val was wide awake, and Sirius shrugged before picking him and bringing him along for security.

He started in the bedroom, the most obvious place. From the way they talked, Severus didn't seem to fully live in the cabin, even if he spent most of his time there. But since He had no idea where Snape actually lived, he would have to rely on the cabin for clues.

The bedroom was fairly plain, and as he went through drawers and the wardrobe, Sirius couldn't find anything. That was until he kicked a black box in the back of the closet and frowned.

He sat down Valerian and pulled it out as he sat on the floor. It was sealed shut, but a wave of his wand easily fixed that. As he opened the box, his hear stopped a moment.

On top of a black mass of robes sat a startling silvery grey mask. It was carved with inter weaving swirls and a cross on the forehead. The eyes, though hollow, were heavy and deep set.

Ironically, Sirius thought with a grimace, the mask didn't have a mouth, only slits so that the wearer may breathe.

Sirius didn't know if Veronica was aware that this was in her house, but all the same he placed the mask exactly back where it was, as if it hadn't been touched, and sealed the box once more and returning it to the back of the closet.

He then made for the study, where he was sure he would find what he was really after.

Notebooks, stray papers stuffed in drawers, those didn't interest him. Snape was smart man and he would be exceedingly clever when it comes to hiding essential information.

But as he ransacked the study, he found nothing, and his frustrations grew. Nothing but notes from books that made no sense, and crude sketches of things Sirius couldn't explain.

But he found thing to sooth his nagging suspicions.

Returning everything to its proper place, Sirius sat on the floor and leaned against the wall. He glanced at Valerian, who gargled nonsensically in his own world and Sirius sighed.

I don't suppose you have anything to say, kid? He thought.

Tilting his head back, Sirius sighed and let his eyes wonder until they found something He had missed.

Specifically, he had missed it because it was tapped to the bottom of a much smaller desk on the far side of the room.

The corner was distinctly separate from the rest of the study. While the majority of the room have been overtaken by Severus's own tastes, a window corner had remained untouched by the gloom. The small desk was the home of a blue typewriter with a stack of neat pages beside it. The chair in front was a supportive wheelie chair, one that would belong to someone who did a lot of sitting.

And underneath the desk, Sirius could spot a moderately thick book with a worn green cover, wedged and taped into place.

Carefully, Sirius pealed off the tape and unwedged the book before turning it over him his hands.

It was a journal and on the inside cover were the initials VL.

Veronica Largo.

Sirius was conflicted over what to do. He had arguable already invaded her privacy by going through her home, but that hadn't been directed at her.

This was her specific property.

But if she kept a journal, that meant there were things she might now that she had not mentioned. Things she might not even know were important.

Taking a deep breath, Sirius flipped open the journal to the first page.

It appeared the journal started when she found out she was pregnant, but what Sirius was interested in was further in the text. Starting the night the Dark Lord returned.

She wrote how the Ministry had silenced her, but she would have to be silent anyway. How Severus and then Narcissa had pressured her into getting more involved with the Deatheaters. Who she had spoken with, and how she had felt.

How she could no longer see the Order under the Dark Lord's request, and how lonely and isolated she had been.

So far, he could not find any information in the book that Severus had not passed on to the Order. Or anything to incriminate Severus, except that he seemed to be growing closer to the Dark Lord and Veronica didn't know how to feel.

But before he closed the book, he found the more recent writings.

They were about him.

Sirius first spotted his name and left a lurch in his stomach. Did he really want to know if Veronica secretly hated him?

_Severus surprised me today, _she wrote.

_He suggested that someone he knows from the Order stay with me in the cabin for safety. I've met Sirius before, at Order meetings, but I know that the two hate each other. They bicker like cats and dogs every time they are in the same room together, and I think it is intolerably childish for two grown men to behave in such a way. _

_Severus doesn't trust Sirius at all, and he often complains that such a man as Black, who is confined to a house, would dare criticize him for how he serves the cause while Black himself can do nothing of use, outside of offering his home for meetings. _

_I know from Irma that Black was awful to Severus in school. _

_Severus recently told me about an incident in the Shrieking Shack when he was a boy that made my blood boil, and I almost told him to forget the idea entirely because I didn't want any bad influences around my son. _

_But, all the same, if I had judged Severus by his actions as a young man, I would not be alive today. And I would not have my son with me. So, I am willing to give Black a chance. I hope that everything comes out for the best. _

Sirius blinked at the writing. He didn't realize Veronica had known about his and Severus's rivalry as students. He also didn't realize that she hadn't liked him when they first met, after all she had been so cheerful towards him and even had chastised Severus for snapping at him one night.

The knowledge that Veronica knew these things about him and had such an opinion of him made him uncomfortable.

It wasn't often that someone thinking badly of him irked him so severely, but usually it was someone he wasn't so fond of either.

But Veronica seemed a genuinely good person. A sunny person who wanted to see the good in everyone so badly it sometimes put her in danger.

The idea that such a person had been wary of him, not because of the lies told by the media, but because of stories she heard from people who knew him, lit a fire inside of him to prove that he was a good person.

Prove that she had nothing to worry about around him and he could be just as, and even more mature than Snape ever was.


	3. Bloodlines

Veronica toted a large cage that housed a Great Grey Owl within it down Diagon Alley. The creature swiveled its head around, staring blankly with its brilliant yellow eyes as it was transported to its new home until Veronica stopped in her tracks.

"Narcissa?" Veronica blinked at the blonde woman approached her quickly with a false smile across her face.

"Veronica, hi!" Narcissa looked around before whispered. "I need you to come with me. Where's the baby?"

"What? Why?" Veronica's heart sped up as Narcissa stared at her firmly.

"Good, it's better if the baby isn't there." Narcissa swallowed before leaning into Veronica's ear. "You-know-who sent me to check on you, he's very concerned about your lack of interest in the cause. I told him that you would be meeting me at the manor for tea."

"What?" Veronica swallowed. "I don't understand."

"I will explain more later but for the moment you need to come with me quickly." Narcissa took her hand and rushed to the closest floo, cutting off another witch who had been headed for the same port.

Before Veronica could even speak, she was in the Malfoy's parlor, dazed and confused.

"Now ask your questions quickly before someone comes in." Narcissa instructed in hastily and Veronica's mind went so fast for a moment it was totally blank.

"Why am I here?"

"I told you, I told the Dark Lord I was having you over for tea."

"But why would he care? Severus told me the Dark Lord has no more interest in me or Valerian."

"Well Severus is wrong." Narcissa sighed. "Bellatrix has been putting ideas in the Dark Lord's head. She doesn't like Severus and she's not too keen on you either, she thinks you may be spreading information to our enemies."

"That's nonsense." Veronica gasped, now utterly terrified. "That's absolute slander."

"That's why you're here!" Narcissa hissed taking the owl cage from Veronica and setting it under the table to be hidden by the table cloth. "It's not enough to just tolerate us now, darling. The Dark Lord is demanding vocal support from everyone even distantly related to the cause."

"Should I be worried?"

"Not if you follow my lead." Narcissa assured her. "just remain calm, and remember, your husband tells you nothing of his work, but you support him implicitly."

"Right." Veronica nodded, taking Narcissa's hand. "Thank you Narcissa. Really."

"Don't thank me yet, you still have to pull it off." Narcissa led her out of the parlor and into the garden where she began to speak in a much louder voice. "We'll be taking tea in the garden today, I hope you don't mind."

Veronica blinked before realizing she was supposed to reply. "Not at all." She forced a smile across her face. "It's lovely weather for it."

"Well, well, well"

Veronica's blood froze as a voice came from behind them.

"Look who's back."

"Bellatrix." Narcissa turned with a warning glance. "Be nice to our guest."

Veronica's smiled grew tighter as she forced her hands to her sides and tried to not fidget. "Mrs. Lestrange, how nice to see you again" She greeted. "how have you been?"

"Very well, thank you." Bellatrix smiled and approached Veronica coolly. "but please Dove, call me Bella."

"Bella" Veronica nodded before remembering what Narcissa said about being active in her acceptance and smiling. "Will you be joining us for tea?"

"I hate to intrude." Bella tilted her head at the girl and grinned, "But for you, Dove, I will happily."

Narcissa nodded and led them to a set table in the large garden, calling to a house elf to bring another chair.

"So, little dove." Bellatrix latched on to Veronica's new nickname like a leech and used it in such a cloying tone that it made Veronica's skin crawl. "Tell me about yourself. All we really know is you popped out Snape's bastard."

"Bellatrix!" Narcissa hissed but Veronica shook her head.

"It's fine Narcissa, Severus made it very clear to me how our situation would be views and I have no illusion about it." Veronica assured her before looking at Bellatrix. "What would you like to know?"

"How's your family?"

"Very well, thank you for asking."

"No, no, I mean" Bellatrix leaned forward, "What sort of family do you come from?"

Veronica's mouth formed an O of understanding and nodded. "Well, my father is old money from America, and I don't know much about my Mother's side of the family because when they found out she was a squib they sent her away."

"I see." Bellatrix mused, "Do you know their name?"

Veronica thought for a moment. "I haven't spoken to them in years I hardly even recall. Gaunt, I believe. Yes, that's it."

There was a sharp clatter of china that made Veronica jump as Narcissa dropped her teacup and Bellatrix nearly broke her from gripping it so hard.

"What. Did you. Just say?" Bellatrix breathed dangerously.

"I-I'm sorry?" Veronica paled and Bellatrix rose from the table.

"Come here." She hissed, "right now."

Veronica rose hesitantly and inches towards her before Bellatrix grabbed her by her shoulder with one hand and gripped her throat with the other.

"Now you listen to me, Little Dove." She growled. "You're going to answer some questions for me and if you lie to me, I will know. And I will kill you, and I will kill your baby, do you understand me?"

"Yes." Veronica nearly sobbed. "I promise. I won't lie."

"What." Bellatrix tightened her grip. "Was your biological grandparents' surname?"

Veronica swallowed hard, "Gaunt."

"You swear by that?" Bella's grip tightened slightly, making Veronica panic.

Veronica began to sputter, growing unsure of even her own family. "Yes. Yes, I swear by it."

"What was your maternal grandfather's first name?"

"I- "

"_Answer the question!" _Bellatrix shook her fiercely and tossed her onto the stone patio. "What was his name?!"

"Morfin!" Veronica cried out, yelping at she hit the rough brick and it scraped her knees and palms raw. "His name was Morfin!" She looked up at the two witches in horror, terrified and confused. "Why are you doing this? What does it matter what his name was?!"

Narcissa broke from her trace and rose slowly. She approached Veronica and picked her up from the ground. "Sit down." She whispered. "Let me see your palms."

Veronica turned her bleeding hands up for her to see and Narcissa nodded. "You need some bandages."

"I need to go home!" Veronica shot up, tears in her eyes but Bellatrix caught her by the hair, making her scream out in surprise and pain.

"You sit your pretty arse down!" Bellatrix hissed.

"Bella" Narcissa turned to her sister. "I want you to go get my healing kit from the kitchen, please."

Bellatrix glared at Veronica before storming off.

"Narcissa, what's happening? What did I do wrong? I don't understand!" Veronica babbled on the verge of a meltdown but Narcissa press her hand to Veronica's mouth.

"Now here is what you are going to do." Narcissa silenced her. "You are going to write two letters, one will be to your mother telling her that she needs to watch the baby tonight because something came up. Then you are going to write Severus and tell him that he needs to get to Malfoy Manor as fast as he can. Do you understand me?"

Veronica nodded.

"I need you to say it, because this is very important."

"I understand. I will write to my mother, and I will write to Severus." Veronica repeated and Narcissa nodded. "Please, can't you tell me what is happening?!"

"No" Narcissa shook her head. "Because I'm not entirely sure myself. But for now, you cannot leave with house. Otherwise, you will very likely die."

Veronica sobbed and Narcissa embraced her tightly.

"I am so sorry, my darling." Narcissa whispered, fearing what could happen next. "I'm sorry."

**Okay, for those of you who know Harry Potter Lore, y'all know what the hell just happened. **

**For those of you who don't, you'll just have to wait for the next chapter. **


	4. Numb

Severus left in the middle of a staff meeting when he received an owl marked URGENT in bold letters. He didn't care about the protests that were raised as he fled the staff room urgently, his only thought was to get outside the castle grounds as fast as possible. When he arrived on the steps of Malfoy Manor, Mulciber was already there, standing guard, and nearly had to restrain the man from simply bursting it.

"Unhand me Mulciber, or I swear before God I will curse you into your next life!"

"Calm down!" Mulciber nearly tossed the lithe man back and let out a breath. "She's fine. For now."

"What's going on?"

"I don't know. Bellatrix went apeshit over something and it was enough for the Dark Lord to come. I was summoned for security I suppose" The Deatheater hauled Severus up and let him through the gate but stayed close enough to pull him back should the need arise.

"Where is my wife?" Severus demanded the second he stepped foot in the house. "Veronica?!"

"Severus, please lower your voice!" Narcissa hushed him. "She's upstairs. Bellatrix is guarding her."

"I want to see her." Severus commanded.

"Fine" Narcissa snapped. "Don't yell at me, I didn't do anything."

Severus ignored her and rushed up the stairs until he found the door Bellatrix was stationed in front of.

"Let me through."

"Ooooh, forceful tonight, aren't we?" Bellatrix teased him and allowed him to enter before locking the door behind him.

Veronica was sitting on a bed and looked up at him in fear for a moment until relief washed over her and she threw herself into his arms.

"Oh Severus! Thank God you're here!" She wept.

"What happened?!"

"I don't know." Veronica pulled away. "No one will tell me what's going on. One minute we were having tea and Bellatrix asked me about my mother's family. I said I didn't know them very well, but I knew their name was Gaunt. Then she had me by the throat and she put me in here and I don't know what's going on!"

Severus listened and fell silent. For a moment his mind was blank, processing this information before his grip on her grew painfully tight. "We need to get you out of here."

"Severus, please! If you know anything, tell me what is going on!"

"I will explain later but for now we need to-!"

Severus cut himself off as the bedroom door opened and Bellatrix peered in.

"He's arrived. Come with me."

"Severus." Veronica scrambled back. "Severus for Christ's sake, do something!"

"Just calm down!" Severus bellowed, grabbing her upper arm firmly. "Just calm down, okay? Come on."

Veronica clammed up and allowed herself to be led down the stairs. She pressed herself as close as she could to Severus and gasped when she was the front hall was filled with the Malfoy family and Mulciber. Severus wrapped an arm protectively around her shoulder. "Just keep your eyes down." He whispered and Veronica obeyed.

The meeting room door was ajar slightly and Bellatrix bold snatched Severus back the back of his cloak and pulled him away from the door.

"Only the woman!" She hissed, "You wait out here with the rest of us."

Veronica felt Severus left her go and began to whimper until Bellatrix shoved her towards the door and she crept into the meeting room fearfully.

This was it. She was going to die.

She prayed to God her children would live well without her, and that Severus would go on, but soon her thoughts turned only to her own mortality as she say the outline of a tall figure at the edge of the room by the fire place were a blaze had been lit.

"Child" a voice hissed in her ear, as if the speaker were directly beside her, "You look as if you have seen a ghost."

Veronica could not find her voice to respond and instead the voice chuckled cruelly.

"Come" it beckoned her, "come sit by the fire. We have much to discuss."

Veronica meekly made her way to the fire place and nearly screamed at the sight of a gargantuan python lounging on the floor.

"Do not mind Nagini." The voice urged her, "Sit"

Veronica minded, sitting on the edge of the seat anxiously as she watched the Dark Lord emerge from the shadows and take the seat beside her.

"Hello Veronica."

"H-Hello, sir" She looked down. "My Lord, If I have done anything to offend you, I have no intention and I swear to you I-"

"Oh, stop that sniveling" The Dark Lord scolded her, "Such displays are not befitting someone of your lineage."

"My lineage?"

"You're a Gaunt." He leered. "And here I had thought they'd all died out."

"I-." Veronica swallowed, trying to control the tremor in her voice. "I'm afraid I don't understand what's going on. No one is telling me anything and I am very confused."

"I see." The Dark Lord nodded. "Let me explain then. It is a very long story, but I will try to be concise."

The Dark Wizard eyed the fire and within a second it burned bright enough to fill the whole room with light.

"What do you know of the Gaunt family?"

"I know they are very old." Veronica sighed. "And I know that they disowned my Mother when she was born a Squib."

"Is that all?"

"Is there more?"

The Dark Lord's smile stretched across his skull like face, "Oh my dear girl. There is so much more. Now listen carefully.

Veronica listened in horror and shock as her unknown family history was unfolded before her.

" The Gaunt family is part of what's known as the Sacred 28. 28 families that have kept to pureblood traditions for as long as they have been around. Your grandfather was Morfin Gaunt." The Dark Lord began. "He was thought to be the last Gaunt, I did not realize he had had a child."

Veronica swallowed. "My mother doesn't like to talk about it."

"Well, who _would _like to discuss being abandoned by their family?" The Dark Lord reasoned. "Anyway, I have not yet explained why your family roots provoked such a reaction from my most loyal."

Veronica nodded.

"You see, my mother's name was Merope Gaunt, who was sister to your grandfather Morfin Gaunt"

Veronica nearly went dizzy with how fast the blood drained from her face. Her vision went blurry and her throat dry as a desert as she found it difficult to keep her balance.

"I-I don't….I mean…what does…"

"You should know, Veronica." The Dark Lord went on, "That I do not wish to kill you. I did not mind killing my father and his family, nor did I concern myself when my uncle was condemned to Azkaban for the crime."

These details just made Veronica feel sick as he continued.

"But in you I see the potential for the birth of the new world I wish to bring about. You have already started this by having a child. And from what I understand you have four other siblings to carry on the legacy. You can bring the honor and glory that was so unfairly lost back to the Gaunt Family."

Veronica listened to him but didn't fully comprehend what was going said. All she could do was blankly nod.

"Of course, with this latest information, I do plan to extend my connections to your family."

Veronica's heart leaped.

Her family.

Her siblings.

Someone had to warn them.

She took a deep breath to compose herself firmly.

"I understand" Veronica nodded gracefully. "at least I think I understand. It's been a very hectic evening."

"You will no doubt come to terms with your position by the morning." The Dark Lord stood, motioning for her to do the same. "I am glad Severus had not been wrong about your disposition. He told me you were an agreeable thing, but I was not so sure."

"I can understand you doubt, My Lord" Veronica offered a sheepish smile. "But my prior actions were not a personal vendetta again yourself. I simply love children."

The Dark Lord led her out of the room and the hall full of Death Eaters quieted as the door opened.

Veronica drew herself up tall and kept her eyes as passive as she could as all eyes turned to her and then the Dark Lord.

"No doubt you are curious as to what has occurred tonight, but all you need to know is that we will be seeing much more of our dear friend from now on." The Dark Lord informed them. "Severus, take this woman home, see that she is well taken care of. We will discuss more in the future."

"Yes, My Lord." Severus grabbed Veronica's hand and watched as she calmly followed him until she was mere inches from him. It as unnerving how black she was, almost as if zombified.

Veronica's dead eyes turned to Narcissa, who watched her anxiously until the woman nodded in her direction. "Thank you once again for the invitation, Narcissa. I hope we may do it again without the disruption."

"Of course." Narcissa breathed. "I will see the two of you out."

The entire scene was tense and uncomfortable until they were outside, and the door closed behind them.

"Veronica" Severus whispered, turned her to face him, "Look at me."

She did so limply, and Severus let out a ragged breath. "What happened in there, what's going on?"

"What's going on?" she smiled painfully. "What's going on is, from now on, every move I make will be under a microscope because my grandfather just so happens to be The Dark Lord's uncle."

Severus sucked in a breath and Veronica nodded. "Uh huh, that's what I said too."

"Are you okay?"

"I think I'm still in shock." Veronica swallowed. "Because at the moment, I don't really feel a thing."

Severus sighed. "Well, Let's just get you home for now. Then we'll talk."

They apparated to the Cabin and Sirius was pacing the floor with Valerian wailing like mad.

"Merlin's Beard, you're alive!" He nearly tackled them as he entered. "You told me just to wait here until midnight, but I was going to go to the Order and…"

Veronica cut him off silently by taking Valerian from his arms and bouncing him gently. "Shhh." She hushed him, "Mummy's here. Mummy's got you."

"Sirius, can I see you in the other room?" Severus motioned and Sirius blinked at the use of his first name.

"Uh, yeah. Sure."

Severus met him in the kitchen and rubbed his face. He instantly reached for the cabinet he knew would have a bottle of red wine in it and began to pour himself a glass.

"Black, do you still want to get some field work in for the order?"

Sirius's heart pounded. "Of course, I do. What's going on?"

"I need you to go to Veronica's family, all of them, and I need you to help relocate them secretly. Just like you did for the Potters." Severus explained, "Wine?"

"Why do they need to be relocated."

"If I tell you, I need you not to freak out."

"Tell me."

Severus spilled the truth with a sip of wine and Sirius suddenly felt like taking him up on his offer.

With his own glass of wine in hand, Sirius swallowed a mouthful with and sigh. "So that's that, huh?"

"That's that."

"You're taking this very well."

Severus shrugged. "I've gone beyond panic at this point." He downed another mouthful and swallowed. "So, can you do it?"

"I'll need to get the Order together to get it done, it may take a few days."

"We may not have a few days."

"We'll do what we can." Sirius insisted. "Is there anything else we need to know?"

"The Dark Lord wants to use Veronica as some kind of Poster Child. The symbol of his new world" Severus sneered. "I'm not sure how it will go, but if he means to make a new world that means he'll be taking steps to take down this one soon enough. I'd be preparing for a fight."

"I'm always ready for a fight." Sirius grumbled, "You know that. That's why I'm here."

Severus nodded, realize this was probably the first time in his life he was in the same room as Black and no venom had been exchanged.

"I have a school to get back to." Severus finished his glass of wine, "I'll discuss this with Dumbledore tonight. There's nothing he can really do, but he should still know."

"Want me to keep on eye on her tonight?"

Severus glanced at Black a moment. "If you would." He glanced down. "give's you something to do besides chase your tail."

Black scoffed and shook his head, "You couldn't go five minutes without a crack, could you?"

"You were getting too comfortable." Severus grumbled and pushed off the counter. "I'm going to go say goodbye to my wife. We'll keep you in the loop."

Sirius muttered under his breath dismissively as he took another drink.

"Veronica?"

"Yeah?"

"How you are doing?"

Veronica glanced up at him with heavy eyelids. "I'm tired."

"You should go to bed."

"We raised a greenhouse today."

"Did you now?" Severus smiled a little, glad that she was thinking of anything but what just happened. "I can't wait to see it."

"You have to go?"

"I do." Severus sat beside her, "I need to tell Dumbledore what happened, not to mention I have students to teach."

Veronica frowned and leaned on him. "I'll miss you in the morning."

"You'll see me soon" He kissed her temple. "Promise."

He left her there and Sirius left the kitchen to look at her a moment.

"Hungry? You haven't eaten since 11"

"No." Veronica shook her head. "No, I'm just tired. I finally got the baby to sleep."

"Maybe call it a night."

She nodded and stood, adjusting the Val's swaddle gently. "Thank you for watching him Sirius."

"It was my pleasure." Sirius smiled. "Now you should get some sleep. You've been through a lot."

Veronica left for bed and Sirius sighed.

What a disaster.

He turned off the kitchen light for the night before eyeing the front door suspiciously. He shifted his form into a black dog and settling himself on the living room couch, ears constantly on the alert.


	5. First Blood

**I'm glad to see so many reactions to the previous chapters. Not gonna lie, I've been sitting on that bombshell since the very first story, and I've been putting in little hints throughout. This story is going to get much darker as it goes, as Harry Potter does, and I hope you guys stick around to watch it unfold. **

The next morning, Veronica woke up alone and sat up in her bed with a knot of dread in her stomach. The dread only increased when she found the stack of letters on her table along side the large grey owl that eyes her patiently for food.

"I haven't given you a name yet." She spoke to the owl as if it were an ordinary person. "I'll think of one later."

She took up the family and found they were all letters from her family. All of which expressing the same sentiment.

What the hell is going on?

From what she could gather, Dumbledore had contacted them and explained in very little detail that something had put them in terrible danger, and they needed to leave their homes as soon as possible.

How could she possibly explain something she could hardly even believe was true.

The only people who hadn't written were Marco and Cesare, who lived together in London sharing the expenses of a flat.

Perhaps the best way to do it was in person, so she wrote every family member personally and told them to meet her at their parents' home and she would explain everything she could.

Sirius strolled in as she sent the letters out and she explained her plan.

"Are you sure that is safe, all of you in one place?"

"It's the easiest way." Veronica swallowed. "I'd rather tell the whole story once then had to relive it four different times."

"Dumbledore is working on finding safe houses out of the country for them." Sirius informed her, "but it's hard to convince the Ministry to cooperate when they won't even accept that You-Know-Who is back at all"

"What am I going to do, Sirius?" She swallowed, "I feel like I'm trapped in the middle of an ocean."

"All we can do is weather it out until someone comes up with an idea." Sirius assured her. "For now, you're going to play your part how they want you to, and you're going to stay safe."

"I told myself that no matter what happened, this would never be part of my son's life." She sat down and covered her face with her hands. "Come to find out, not only is this part of his life, it's in his blood."

"Don't say that." Sirius snapped, "You listen to me, the bloodline one comes from has nothing to do with how they will live their life. Why, just look at me. I'm the heir of one of the darkest families in this world, but I refused to let that define me. No matter what, I fought my name every step of the way. And you can too. You're the same person you were three days ago."

Veronica thought about this a nodded, "You're right. Nothing has changed. Just because I know something now doesn't mean it suddenly starts to effect who I am."

"Exactly." Sirius huffed. "Now pull yourself together. This is no time to be passive. You have to take charge of this situation."

Veronica didn't know if it was the words or the fury with which he spoke them, but Sirius had lit a fire in her belly that told her that she wasn't simply a victim of circumstance. She could still do things to make a difference.

"Come here." She pulled him in for a hug and Sirius tensed up before relaxing and embracing her back, "How have you managed to stay so positive?"

"Spite" Sirius confessed, "I didn't let 12 years in Azkaban lick me, and I won't let those bastards lick me either."

"I wish I had your strength."

"You do" Sirius pulled away, "Somewhere in there. You've just got to tap into it."

Veronica nodded and perked up when she heard Valerian fussing from the bedroom. "I'm meeting my family tonight, will you come with me?"

"Of course, I will" Sirius nodded, "As long as your family doesn't try to turn me in."

"I think we'll have bigger fish to fry." Veronica sighed, rushing to tend to her son.

Sirius sat the table and watched at the Large grey owl returned from its flight with a parcel in its beak. Sirius frowned, the owl should be arriving back so soon, after all Veronica's family lived all over the continent, not just a few streets down.

Sirius took the parcel from the bird and found it was nothing but a single slip of paper smeared with ink that had been written and delivered in haste.

_Family here. Come home, right now. It is urgent. _

_Mum. _

"Veronica" He called, "Get in here,"

"What's wrong."

"I don't know, but this letter just come from your mother. I think something bad has happened."

Veronica snatched the note from him, and her heart pounded, "I need to go."

"Not yet, this could be a trap." Sirius stopped her.

"To what end?"

"I don't know. It could be anything." Sirius grabbed her arm. "Maybe our attempts to move them were intercepted and they're trying to catch you in the act to kill you."

"This is my family, Sirius, I have to go." Veronica insisted. "Stay here with the Baby if you like, but I'm not waiting."

Veronica was through the Floo before Sirius could stop her and arrive in her mother's parlor into a startling scene.

Her whole immediate family was sitting around and looked up at her as she entered.

"What's happened?" Veronica asked instantly.

The room went silent and Veronica looked around. Face were tearstained, save for the two strangers that stood to the side of the ground. Veronica recognized one of them as Alastor Moody, and the other was a tall, dark skinned wizard in purple robes. Their faces were dreadfully grim, and Veronica looked to them.

"Moody." She approached him first. "What's going on, what's happened?"

Alastor looked at her, his softening slightly as he moved to push her into a chair. "Take a seat, Veronica."

"Why?" Veronica felt the tension of the room overwhelm her and her face became hot. "What's going on?"

"Something happened last night." Moody began. "The Dark Lord, after he heard about your family. Well, he acted before we could."

"What?" Veronica's eyes widened. "Did he threaten you?" she looked to her family. "Surely now the Ministry will see that-"

"Please" Moody sighed, "Let me finish."

Veronica went silent as Moody sat down to face her. "He decided to try and recruited your family. And last night he sent three of his Deatheaters to your brothers' flat. Marco and Cesare."

"Oh God." Veronica croaked, "Oh God, where are they? Are they hurt?"

Moody winced and looked around.

Mrs. Largo burst into a fresh batch of sobs, as did Rachel. Angel shook his head and turned his back to the scene Veronica look around at them with a growing sense of understanding looming over her head.

"Oh God, Oh God." She began to tear up and grabbed Moody's hand. "They're hurt, they're in the hospital" she spoke as if this was her ray of hope. "they're in the hospital, they-"

"Veronica." Moody cut her off, shaking off her hands and sighing. "Your brothers are dead."

The world went still.

Time froze around her, and sound was muffled within her head as Veronica felt a growing pain creep into the base of her skull. It spread through her scalp and down her neck and into her face and she choked out sounds that might have been words if not for the suffocating pain that engulfed the witch in the moment.

Veronica didn't remember what she said, or if she said anything at all.

She hardly even remembered the blood curdling wail she let out when her throat finally released the pain it had been holding back.

She didn't remember her father pulling her into a tight embrace when her screams overpowered the room and all but dragging her into the other so the Aurors could explained the steps that would be taken now.

The Ministry would arrange for the family to be relocated to undisclosed places around the world, and they would be given new identities to live under until it was safe to return. They would be leaving that night and taking only what they needed to survive and nothing else.

Veronica sob into her father's chest, choking on her apologies and admissions of guilt for her Brothers' deaths.

It was her fault.

She should have never gone to Malfoy Manor that day, she should have told Narcissa Malfoy to buzz off.

She should have not given away her mother's maiden name, she should have just said she was a muggle and left it at the.

If she hadn't been so careless, her brothers would still be alive.

She was responsible for their murders as if she had held the wand herself.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She sobbed like a broken record as Mr. Largo held her tightly.

"It's over now." He rumbled, forcing back his own tears, "It's done with. You'll come with us into hiding. You and the Baby."

"No" Veronica shook her head, "No, I can't. He'll look for me. He'll track me down. I won't put you in more danger."

"I won't stand for it." He insisted but Veronica pulled away.

"Neither will I!" She snapped. "Marco and Cesare are dead because of me, I will not let this family suffer further!"

She stared at him with eyes blurry with tear and pain and swallowed. "I'm sorry Daddy."

"It wasn't you fault."

"Yes, it is." Veronica nodded, "It is my fault, and I won't let it happen again."

She left him to return to the parlor, and she took Moody aside.

"I'm sorry for your loss." He said respectfully

Veronica nodded and wiped her eyes, "I need you to do something for me."

"We are already set to relocate your family."

"yes, but that might not be enough." She locked him in hard eyes, "I need to make sure that they have no connection to me once they are gone."

"What do you suggest?"

Veronica swallowed painfully, moving to start her request but choking on in repeatedly until she let out a slightly sob and closed her eyes. "Erase their memories."

"What?"

"Not all of them, just of me."

Moody struggled with this request and looked down at her seriously. "Are you sure about that? We might not be able to reverse the enchantment."

Veronica's tears streamed down her face, but she swiped them away forcefully. "I have brought hell upon my family" she confessed. "and they deserve a fresh start without me putting them in danger."

Moody swallowed hard and looked around. "I don't have authorization to wipe their memories fully, certainly not without their consent, but I can put them under a weak memory charm which will simply dampen their memories of you. They'll remember you in the same way they remember a distant cousin."

Veronica sighed but nodded, "That will do."

"On the condition." Moody added, "That you don't go looking for revenge."

Veronica stared at him in disbelief, but Moody was unmoved. "I'm serious. I will not have you doing anything rash that might cause problems for us later. I know it's hard, but you must think in the long run, not in the moment."

Veronica burned with fury, but she nodded. "Fine. I won't do anything rash."

Moody nodded and sighed. "You should go say goodbye to your family. We are leaving as soon as possible, you might not get to see them again before that."

Veronica nodded left him in the hall, returning to the parlor in silence and leaving Moody to rub his face and sigh.

And so, it begins.


	6. Are You a Good Witch? Or a Bad Witch?

Severus sat in the cabin living room impatiently, shooting to his feet when he heard footsteps behind him but let his shoulder slump with disappointment when he saw Sirius emerge from the hallway.

"She won't come out."

"It's been a week!"

"What do you want me to do, Snape? Break the door down?" Sirius shrugged defensively. "She must be coming out at some point, she's taking care of the baby and I've noticed things moving around out here when we're not in the room."

Severus growled with frustration and banged his fist on the table. "I've had it, I'm going in there."

"Severus, are you sure that's a good idea?"

"I'm not leaving her to wallow in grief, Black." He snapped and stormed down the hall, "Veronica, open the door or I'm unlocking it myself."

No answer came as he banged on the door again. "Veronica, open the-"

Before he could finish the bedroom door opened slowly, and he froze at the sight of Veronica peering out at him.

She looked terrible. The dark circles under her eyes caused her to resemble a skull and swathed in an unflattering black dress she appeared almost like a silent phantom that stared up at him passively. She was terribly thin and hauntingly pale, looking ages older than she actually was.

Severus lost his words at the sight of her and she did not blink as she looked at him before passing him by and walking into the living room.

"Veronica." Sirius faltered when he saw her. He didn't know what else he could say but his tongue was turned to lead when she turned her eyes on him.

Despite the darkness that enshrouded her, her eyes almost seemed to flash with gold. Their gaze sent an unexplainable shutter through both men and they waited for her to make a noise, anything to crack this shadowy aura that radiated off of her.

As she passed through the room, the temperature dropped dramatically until Severus could see a cloud of mist pass his lips.

It was not uncommon for a witch or wizard's magic to grow in power during times of duress, but it was most often acute and volatile. A broken mirror, a flash of lightening, sparks flying from no known source.

But this was something different.

The witch looked around the room as if she had no memory of it.

"Darling." Severus dared to speak up, "How do you feel?"

Veronica's head snapped towards him suddenly and her eyes didn't even shift as she moved.

"You should go." She informed him calmly. "You've come back here every night, you've ignored the Dark Lord's call. He'll start thinking things."

Severus considered himself a master of intimidation. He knew that if he spoke correctly and stood in the proper way, he could send a chill done anyone's spine.

But Veronica's tone froze his very soul.

And what's worse; he could tell it was authentic.

"There's still plenty of time before I must return." He swallowed. "We can sit down and-"

"I said." Veronica cut him off. "Go."

Severus tensed, "Very well, darling." He looked down, "If that's what you want."

He turned and pulled Sirius aside. "I'll be back in the morning." He whispered. "don't let her leave."

Veronica watched him leave and turned her gaze towards Sirius. The wizard stiffened but tried to seem casual.

"Do you want anything to eat?" Sirius asked, "I don't think you've eaten in a week, you must be starved."

"No." Veronica shook her head, "I'm fine."

"Are you?" Sirius approached her, "Because you don't look fine."

He summoned that Gryffindor courage and took her by the hand, pulling her to sit down. "And it's okay if you're not. You've been through hell, and if you want to talk about it, you know I'm right-"

"I'm going out." She didn't him finish, "Tomorrow."

"Out?" Sirius blinked, "Where?"

"Shopping." Veronica said plainly. "for seeds, I want to grow things in that greenhouse."

"Really?" Sirius actually smiled. "That's wonderful, that's a wonderful idea. You should do that."

Veronica didn't smile back but she nodded slowly. "You were right, Sirius." She began, "When you said that I didn't have to be passive. Just letting things happen to me. I'm not going to make that mistake anymore."

Sirius sighed and smiled, "I'm so glad to hear that. Snape will be too, you know he was really worried about you."

"I know" Veronica nodded, "But he doesn't have to be anymore. I know what I have to do."

Veronica ate a bit of food to satisfy Sirius's insistence that she eat, but otherwise she went about the house in near silence and spent most of the night in the study. But instead of her usual corner by the window, Veronica sat in Severus's large, uncomfortable chair and perused his book collection before frowning.

He didn't bring the good ones.

With a frown she peered into the hall and listened. Hearing Sirius's heavy breathing from the guest room, she moved to the floo and picked up a handful of ash.

"Spinner's End" She whispered and stepped into the flame and emerged unscathed in Severus's living room.

Peter Pettigrew, who had been moping around the house, leapt back in fright as the small yet looing witch eyed him with a slowly arching brow.

"V-veronica," He sputtered. "what are you doing here? It's the middle of the ni-"

"Shut up" she hushed him crossly, "I'm going to Severus's old study. I trust he left most of his books here."

"Well yes, but what-"

"I didn't say you could speak." Veronica turned on him. "And if Severus asks, I was never here. And if you say a word about this to anyone, I will cut out your tongue."

Pettigrew's mouth fell open in shock.

Surely this was not the same cowering witch from the graveyard, certainly not. It wasn't possible.

Veronica left him, storming up the stairs and unlocking Severus's old study.

It was covered in layers of dust from his absence, and she ran her fingers along the spine to form a trail in the grime.

"Oh Severus, I know you have what I need." She muttered to herself, grabbing a step stool and peering at the titles written on the spines.

"Possessions, Poltergeists, Parsletongue, Potions…ah, here we are." She pulled a thick leather volume from the shelf and smiled. "Poisonous Plants, lovely."

She hummed as she descended the stairs, Pettigrew watching her fearfully as she turned to gaze back to him in a much more benevolent tone.

"Now remember what I told you Peter." She used his first name in a way that was both cloying and venomous, "this is our little secret."

"Yes," Pettigrew nodded, "Of course."

"Good man." She smiled. "Pleasant dreams."

The Next Morning, Veronica slipped on her heavy cloak and bundled Valerian into warm layers as it was starting to grow chilly.

"Mummy has some errand to run before daddy comes to visit, darling." She cooed to him. "So, you just be a good boy and be quiet, okay?"

She made her way to Diagon Alley that morning and found the streets mostly dead. It was too early for casual shoppers, but that's how she liked it.

Strolling down the streets with her son peacefully secured to her chest in a thick sling, Veronica reached the diverging point of Diagon Alley and glanced up at the crooked sign that read KNOCK TURN in dull, metallic letters.

The normal leering strangers were not out this morning, allowing her to pass through in peace as she reached a building made almost entirely out of tinted glass, save for the wooden sign that read DEATH'S HEAD NURSERY. An admittingly beautifully made stained glass mural of a Death's Head Moth decorated the large front window, and Veronica admired it as she knocked on the front door.

There was a shuffling behind the door, and it creaked open. A watery eye stared out at her before glaring.

"We ain't open yet."

"Not even for this?" Veronica flashed her money sack through the crack and the shop owner paused before closing the door and Veronica heard several chain locks unlatching.

The door opened fully this time and Veronica smiled knowingly. "Thank you."

The nursery owner was a thin, wiry man with hanging white hair and a blind eye that was covered in a milky cataract. He scanned her up and down as Veronica removed her hood and turned to him.

"I'm afraid most of my flora is out of season." The man began, "if you're looking for your usual potions' ingredients and medicinal herbs, you may have to wait until next year…"

"I'm not so sure." Veronica shrugged. "I'm looking for some plants of a special variety for my greenhouse."

"Anything particular?"

"I have a few ideas." Veronica smiled shyly, producing a small list from her pocket and handing it to him. "What do you think?"

The shop keeper took the list in his spindly hand and skimmed over her cursive writing with a hum.

"Hardly the cornerstones of a mother's garden" He mused curiously. "But I may be able to help you."

Veronica strolled down Knockturn alley just as the public began bustle about in the streets. In her pocket she carried several packets of seeds, which with specific instructions on how to grow and harvest them properly.

"Veronica?"

She stopped and turned, spying a familiar face in the dimly lit street. It was Lucius Malfoy, who looked her up and down strangely, as if she were a peculiar statue.

"Mr. Malfoy."

"How are you?"

"Fair" She adjusted Valerian under her cloak and eyed him, "Yourself?"

"Quite well."

"Good."

He approached her, looking around them motioning for her to follow. "Walk with me?"

Veronica frowned but took up his stride and kept her eyes forward.

"You have been missed this past week" He began. "Narcissa said she wrote you but received no reply."

"I was indisposed." Veronica swallowed, "it couldn't be helped."

"An illness, perhaps?" Lucius asked, "You don't look well."

"A heart condition." Veronica elaborated with a slightly poetic tone. "A dreadful pain."

"How awful" Lucius eyed her, "You must take care of yourself, my dear."

"Yes." Veronica sniffed, "Well, I'm afraid I must go."

"I'll send an invitation around this afternoon." Malfoy stated knowingly. "I do hope you will except. Like I said, your presence has been missed."

Veronica turned to him with cold eyes and didn't even bother to fake a smile. "We will see"


	7. Germination

As soon as she got home, Veronica was in the greenhouse. Sitting cross-legged on the floor, she arranged her small pots in front of her and placed the soft cups in the growing trays. Valerian sat a safe distance away in a bouncy seat that Veronica had safeguarded with a small safety bubble as his mother carefully filled small cups with growing soil and snuggly fitted them into trays.

With all the cups filled with dirt, she took up small plywood posts she had constructed from scrap wood and glue and serenely began to paint them with delicate letters spelling out the names of the plants. It was nice to wholly focus her mind on something trivial, where her biggest decision was picking between yellow and blue for the careful illustrations on her tiny canvases.

As she painted, her mind began to wander off on it's only and she began to think about the Cabin that stood just a few meters away, and how different it felt.

She recalled warm summer days spent sprawled out of scratchy blankets in the yard, playing with her siblings. She remembered when she was a girl and the twins had been but toddlers, and the joy she had taken in making them squeal with delight for nonsensical reasons. Vivid were the nights when they were nearly grown and more than once she would come upon them in the woods, where the sat and laughed and had swiped a bottle of something from their father's cabinet. She never chided them, she just smiled and sat with them, silently making sure they got home safely before sunrise.

Veronica never got on with her sister, and her elder brother never took much of an interest in her, but Marco and Cesare were always there. Even when she was sent back to America to go to school, and they were still to young to follow, they sent her letters of their small adventures with crayon drawings of trees or bugs.

She had loved them more than any of them. More than her aunt and uncle, or even her cousins.

More than Rachel and Angel, perhaps even more then her own mother and fathers.

She loved the life they had within them that seemed absent from everyone else, including herself. Such bouncing, boundless energy and ingenuity.

Even after the letters stopped coming, and each sibling got caught in their own life as adults tend to do.

They deserved better then what they got.

A bit of blue paint smeared as Veronica's hand began to tremble and she pulled away. She reached up and wiped her face firmly but couldn't stop her tears this time.

They were all gone. Gone with them.

What was this darkness inside of her that drew the demise of those she loved?

When she was a student, she had told herself it wasn't her fault.

It had been Calvin, or God, or Fate, or even Bad Luck.

But Calvin wasn't here.

And from what she could tell, God wasn't either.

All that was there was Veronica.

She was the common denominator.

The rotten apple in the barrel.

Veronica knew what she had to do.

It wouldn't be easy. In fact, it would probably be the hardest thing she had ever done in her life.

But perhaps there was a way that she could use this dark theme to her benefit.

Because Sirius _had _been right. She didn't have to be a bystander in her own life. She had to take charge and take responsibility for the chaos she brought.

In silence, she folded the seeds into the soil and labeled them precisely before sticking them on shelves and walking away, letting the seeds begin their germination as the roots of her plan began to grow deeper and deeper into her mind.


	8. Definance

On the way to Malfoy Manor, Veronica did not say a single word.

She dressed plainly in dark colors that she almost found comforting to look at. Black was like a blanket which warmed and protected her from her world. It was a warning label, like a big black dot on a bottle of poison.

Narcissa lost her words at the sight of the witch in her home, the change was enough to rattle her stomach and heart like an earthquake. But she didn't say anything about it as Veronica hugged her lightly before pulling away.

"Veronica." She breathed, "How…I mean I heard about…"

"My brother." Veronica finished for her. "Marco and Cesare, yes."

"I'm sorry."

Veronica didn't respond, instead she closed her eyes. "I would not be here if Lucius had not pressed me to come."

"I understand." Narcissa agreed. "And you're family. Have they?"

"You will likely here later, there's not doubt that the Dark Lord knows by now." Veronica straightened herself. "It has been decided by the Ministry of Magic that my family be taken into hiding for their protection." She looked down coldly. "I don't know where, I don't even know who their secret keeper is."

"They won't tell even you?"

"According to the Ministry I am a liability to the safety of my family, and it would be best if I did not know." Veronica explained.

Narcissa shook her head sadly. "I'm so sorry."

"Yes well." Veronica sniffed. "So am I."

"Veronica." Severus beckoned her and she heeded him instantly. "The Dark Lord wants you in the meeting tonight."

"Okay."

"Okay?" Severus blinked.

"Yes." Veronica nodded plainly. "I was actually expecting this."

She turned to Narcissa calmly. "Would you mind watching the baby while I am occupied?"

Narcissa took Valerian gently and Severus eyed his partner curiously but nodded, taking her arm as they entered the hall.

Veronica ignored the stared and mutters that her arrival prompted, keeping her face ice cold as she sat next to Severus and folded her hands.

"How was the funeral, Little Dove?" Bellatrix spotted her as she entered and began to haul taunts in her direction. "Did they use a double coffin?"

Veronica didn't respond, didn't even acknowledge she had heard anything as she kept her eyes forward on the wall.

"That is if they even had enough of them left to bury."

Nothing. Severus reached under the table to take her hand, but Veronica did not reciprocate.

"Must have hurt when the rest of your blood traitor family ran off and hid like a bunch of scared little-"

The taunt never reached it end when Veronica snapped. No hands were raised, and no wand was drawn, but still Bellatrix felt a constricting force encircle her throat and tighten faster than her next word could leave her lips.

The Deatheaters around her began to stand in surprise, some reaching to help her, others watching Veronica with wide eyes. They searched for a wand or a whisper that might have been muttered, but no.

Veronica simple remained seated and stared at Bellatrix with fiery eyes that seemed to melt the rest of her icy casing. Her mouth was thin and tight as Bellatrix began to struggle, her curses giving way to sputters as her face grew redder and redder.

"Veronica, that's enough." Severus hissed at her, squeezing her hand, but she wouldn't let up and even tossed his hand to the side. "Veronica, stop!"

"Someone do something!"

"She's turning purple, for God's sake!"

"Enough."

A harsh voice filled the room as Bellatrix dropped to the ground, gasping desperately as the pressure releases and air filled her lungs.

All turned to Veronica, who had nearly gone limp in the Dark Lord's grasp when he grabbed her by the scruff of her neck tightly.

"I will not tolerate such violence in this meeting." He informed the room firmly but spoke specifically to Veronica. He watched Bellatrix rise to her face, face still flushed from the struggle and shook her head, "Nor will I tolerate such a pathetic display from one of my most skilled, Bellatrix. I expected more."

"She didn't even draw a wand!" Bellatrix sputtered, indignantly. "The little bitch d-"

"No excuses." Voldemort thundered. "You provoked the attack, the very least you could do was be ready for it."

Bellatrix scowled hatefully at Veronica but bowed, "It will not happen again, My Lord."

"Good. Then I trust we can begin without further interruption." The Dark Lord took his place at the head of the table, "Now, let us begin with today's most _active _member. Veronica…" He eyed her expectantly. "Where is your family, now?"

Veronica took a deep breath. "I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"It has been decided by the Ministry." Veronica elaborated, "That, due to my recently history, and current connections to suspected ex-Deatheaters, that I am a liability to my family's safety. And thus, I will not be grant knowledge of my family's whereabouts, nor their secret keeper."

"I see." The Dark Lord growled with displeasure. "I understand you have made yourself something of a hermit this past week, why is that?"

"Greif." Veronica spoke plainly, so plain Severus feared that her catatonia might make her tongue careless.

"I loved my brothers." She continued, "I mourn them."

"You mourn traitors to our cause."

"I mourn my family." She corrected him. "nothing more."

Severus squeezed her hand tightly, a warning that she may be treading into dangerous ground.

Veronica felt a familiar pain at the base of her skull and sighed. His desire to pick her brain was futile, he would find nothing.

And nothing is exactly what he found as he withdrew with a look of disappointment. "We will speak more on this later." He informed her seriously before returning to the rest of his order.

Severus glanced at her and was careful not to betray his amazement.

Discretely, he dared to probe at her brain himself but winced when a volt of electricity shot through him. He's mouth hung slightly, and Veronica turned slightly to him with a look of warning etched across her face.

Severus was shocked.

This wasn't the first time an attempt of his had been thwarted, but it was the first time the retribution had been so swift and direct.

She hadn't just known he was trying to get in, she had expected him to.

She turned from him silently and Severus swallowed.

Something was very wrong.

The meeting was a fast one, but it left Severus with much information to send to the Order.

"Severus, I would like to speak with Veronica alone." The Dark Lord dismissed him instantly and Veronica looked to him with a nod of her head, indicating that she would be fine.

Severus left her reluctantly, staying by the door like a loyal dog waiting for her to come out.

"I understand you must be upset." The Dark Lord began. "After all it did happen quite suddenly, perhaps if I had warned you before hand or allowed you to approach them yourself this could have been avoided."

Veronica listened passively, not bothering to hide her dissatisfaction. He knew she was upset, what was the point in hiding it?

"However." He snapped, "That is no excuse for such displays of anger! Retaliation for an action that occurred under my orders is retaliation against myself, and I know you do not want that."

"Of course, I don't" Veronica shook her head. "But would you expect me ignore such insults?"

"Indeed, I would!" Voldemort barked at her and she winced. "I would expect you to act according to the station I have assigned to you. You are supposed to be the image of our new world, something people can look to for example! And here you are, attacking our allies and daring to defy my will before my followers! Were I a less rational man, I would have killed you in that instant."

Veronica bit on the inside of her cheek hard to keep from speaking.

"However, I will not. Instead I want you to walk out there, before everyone, and you will make your peace with Bellatrix Lestrange and beg her forgiveness for your rashness."

"I will not!"

Veronica was engulfed in a red blast and her scream echoed through the house. The pain was unimaginable, and even if it only lasted a few seconds it felt as if it were an eternity.

"You will do as I say, and I will hear no more objections." Voldemort ordered her. "Or I will rethink my desire to keep you alive."

Veronica pulled herself up limply and didn't look at him as her bones burned and rattles under her.

"Am I making myself perfectly clear?"

Veronica didn't reply at first before glaring up at him, "Perfectly."

Veronica was allowed to compose herself before exiting the room and walking into the hall with the same cold look on her face. But those who had heard her screams knew that it was a front as she approached Bellatrix Lestrange, who eyed her carefully.

"May we speak?"

Bellatrix crossed her arms but nodded. "We may."

"I would like to apologize for my actions this evening." Veronica swallowed bitterly, her lies poisoning her my cyanide, "I was upset over the death of my brothers, but it has been called to my attention that my anger was not only misplaced, it was inappropriate. And." She took a breath and sighed. "And I beg your forgiveness."

Bellatrix arched a brow and eyed the Dark Lord who loomed in the doorway before nodding.

"Very well." She sniffed, "Apology accepted."

Veronica turned from her without another word and took her baby from Narcissa before walking past Severus and snatching up his sleeve to drag him along.

"Where are we going?" Severus asked, "Lucius invited us to stay for supper."

"You can stay." Veronica shrugged, "But I've already eaten my fill of crow for the evening."


	9. Two Caged Birds

Veronica did go home without Severus, who had already promised the Malfoys and didn't wish to disappoint. Sirius was sitting on the couch reading when she arrived and perked up when she entered only to dampen back down at the look on her face.

"What's wrong?" He asked instantly, rising to his feet with concern.

"It's been a bad night." Veronica grumbled, wincing as she pulled off her cape.

"Are you hurt?"

"Just sore." She sighed, "I got tortured for back talk."

"What?" Sirius bellowed. "I'll kill him!"

"Be my guest." Veronica pulled the fussing Valerian to her chest and sat down.

"I trust Severus spoke up."

Veronica paused a moment before glancing at the floor. "You know he can't."

"Bullshit."

"Sirius!"

"I'm sorry but that's the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard," Sirius pressed.

"It isn't his fault." Veronica sighed. "He's trying his best to keep his head in the game for the Order. He doesn't have time to be worrying about me."

"I'm sorry but," Sirius shook his head, "I can't accept that. You deserve so much better. You shouldn't even be here, if I were him, I would have had the Order put you in hiding the second You Know Who came back."

"That's what this place was supposed to be." She looked around at the cabin, "I only came here because I thought it would be a peaceful escape. Now it just feels like a prison."

Sirius sat in contemplative silence, his mouth tight as if he were holding something back until his mouth won out.

"You should leave."

"Leave?"

"Go somewhere, anywhere. Somewhere safe. You need a fresh start."

Veronica scoffed, holding Valerian's little fist gently as he suckled at her breast. "If only, if only."

"You could."

"I couldn't" Veronica shook her head, "Severus would lose his mind."

"Let him." Sirius snapped. "Even if he's the most selfish person in this world, he'll realize that you're miserable here."

Veronica glanced at him sadly, "you know." She smiled a little. "I don't think he does. Like I said, whenever he's in this house he just wants to pretend everything is alright."

She began to tear up, not from sadness, but from anger and mounting infuriation

"But it's not alright Sirius. It's not! I'm so mad and frustrated all the time. And everyone keeps saying it's going to be okay and I just have to go with the flow, but I don't want to do that anymore!" She wiped her eyes and looked down at her son, who had fallen asleep mid-feeding and she pulled up her blouse and kissed him.

"You know" She glanced at Sirius. "You're the only person who's encouraged me to do anything. Olympe told me to get a hobby to take my mind off of it, Severus just says to trust him, and Narcissa says that I just need to do as others say to survive, but I'm starting to wish the Dark Lord had just killed me three weeks ago!"

"Don't say that." Sirius moved closer to her, taking the Baby from her arm and setting him in his seat so that Sirius could hug Veronica properly.

"You mustn't say such things" He whispered, "If you keep thinking it, then it will eat at you."

"What am I supposed to do then?" She whispered, nuzzling his shoulder gently and Sirius began to run his fingers through her hair.

"When I was in Azkaban, I remember every day I felt like I would rather die that stay there another minute. I remember imagining how I could do it, and even asking people near my cell if they would do it if I asked them." He held her tighter, "But then, at night, if it was clear, I could sneak over to the edge of my cell and I could look through the little slit in the wall into the sky. And through the crack I could see stars, and If I got lucky, I could even see the moon."

Veronica began to relax as he spoke, and Sirius adjusted himself so she could comfortably lean into his chest as he went on.

"And when I saw that, I remember thinking, that there is a world outside of this place. I might feel like I'm in hell, but it's just a place. Just walls, just a ceiling; beyond that there's so much more and I could only just find a way out then everything would be okay. This world is so big, so vast, and there are so many places besides these four walls Veronica. So many places where you could forget about all of this and be happy."

Veronica sniffled as she cuddled into him, his warmth and strong touch for a moment made her feel safe. The friendly touch of another person made her vibrate and melt inside.

"You see the problem is, Snape, Narcissa Malfoy, anyone else you talk to; they don't know what it's like to be a prisoner. To feel trapped in the worst place in the world and feel so helpless and worthless that you just want to drown in the shadows." Sirius whispered, ducking his head so he was talking down into her ear. "I do. I understand you Veronica. And I'm telling you that you don't have to stay here, there are people that will help you leave if you want to."

Veronica's heart melted.

The ice she had encased herself in to protect her heart from the cruelties of the world broke and shattered.

Her grip on Sirius tightened, and she held him firmly, pulling him closer to her as if she wanted to melt into him and truly know his hope and his warmth.

Is that how she had been?

Not even two full years ago before the world decided to dump a mountain of grief on top of her?

"I don't want to stay here." She whispered to him. "I want to go some place safe. Someone place no one will find me."

"We can do that." Sirius nodded. "We can make that happen."

"I lost myself Sirius." She confessed, "That's only happened once before, and I swore I wouldn't do it again. But I became someone I didn't like, I was going to do something terrible."

"I doubt that." Sirius assured her, rubbing circles on her back, "What do you mean?"

"I wanted to kill them." Veronica confessed and Sirius looked down at her. "I almost killed Bellatrix Lestrange tonight, she couldn't stop talking about my family and I got so mad I started choking her."

"You got lose enough to choke her?"

"No." Veronica shook her head, "I did it with my mind. With magic. I just looked at her, and suddenly she couldn't breathe. And I didn't want to let her go, but the Dark Lord grabbed me back the back of the throat and my mind just snapped out of it."

Sirius didn't pause his touch, still rubbing her back as the troubling news fell over him. "Have you been able to do that before?"

"No" Veronica shook her head, "No, not like that. I've only been able to do things like that since my brothers were killed."

"I see." Sirius nodded. "That is strange, I'll confess I don't know what that means."

"I don't care what it means." Veronica insisted. "But I know when I did it, I wasn't sorry. And I don't like that. I don't want to be like them, Sirius. I don't _want _to wanna hurt people."

"It'll be okay." Sirius assured her. "Tonight, we're going to send a letter to Dumbledore and ask him to hide you and the baby. You can send a letter to Severus to let him know."

"I don't know what I could say," Veronica sighed. "I don't know how he will react."

"It doesn't matter how he reacts." Sirius informed her. "If he really loves you, he'll understand why this needs to happen. And if he doesn't, well, he doesn't deserve you."

Veronica nodded and sat up. "Thank you for being here, Sirius. To be honest, I was so unsure about you at first. But now, I don't know what I would have done without you here to talk to."

"I'll always be there." Sirius assured her. "Cross my heart."

Veronica smiled and hugged him tightly before pulling away. "I'm going to write to Severus and send it straight away, can you write the letter to Dumbledore, so the owl only makes one trip."

"On it." Sirius hopped up, taking her hands to pull her up as well. "Let's go, sweetheart. There's a bright new world waiting for you out there."


	10. The Send Off

"Severus, calm down!"

"No!"

Albus rolled his eyed slightly as the enraged Professor paced the floor of Grimmuld place. Veronica sat at the table with Kingesly and Sirius, going over her relocation papers with Kingsley and trying to block out Severus's objections.

"This is absolute madness."

"Last year, you asked me to keep her safe, didn't you?" Albus challenged him. "Well here you go, Severus. Sorry if it's not like you imagined."

"Veronica." Severus turned to the witch insistently. "Are you sure you don't want to take a few days to think this over?"

"I've thought about it plenty." Veronica informed him. "It's a good idea."

She turned to Sirius, who sat across the table from her, and passed him a pen. "Sirius, you sign at the bottom."

"Sign what?" Severus snapped, eyes flashing at the wizard who nodded and scribbled his name across the bottom. "What are you signing?"

"Sirius is to be my secret keeper."

"_What?!" _

"He offered, I accepted."

Severus's jaw dropped. This wasn't happening. It couldn't be.

"Why him?"

"You have enough secrets already." Veronica stated plainly. "Plus, Sirius is already on the run. This way I'm not putting another person in danger, I'm just adding to Sirius's"

"And I accept it proudly." Sirius assured her.

"Yes, because we all know how reliable you were the last time."

The room went dead. Sirius stiffened instantly and Veronica swallowed hard before straightening up and turning to her partner coldly.

"That was completely out of line, Severus."

"I don't care."

"You ought to apologize after all Sirius has done for us."

"I will not." Severus hissed.

"That won't be necessary, Veronica." Sirius shook his head. "In truth, my past failure is why I am taking you on now. There will not be a second mistake."

"Oh, how touching." Severus sneered. "How utterly unselfish of you, Black. I'm glad such an opputinuty to redeem your shoddy track record came your way."

Veronica threw down her pen and shot up out of her seat. "Severus." She barked before lowering her voice. "May I speak with you _privately?" _

Severus's frown didn't shift but he nodded and followed her out of the dining room and into the entry hall, unaware of the young ears of his students listening above them.

"You are behaving like an absolute child!" Veronica snapped at him. "It's ridiculous!"

"What ridiculous is you pulling such a scheme without consulting me!" Severus retorted. "Not even a curtesy visit to warn me before signing the papers."

"Why?" Veronica yelled in a whispered. "Why should I have to consult you before I do anything?! We aren't married! We barely see each other anymore except to put on some ridiculous display for those terrible people! I'm practically raising our baby alone, why shouldn't I do it someplace where I'm not under constant scrutiny?!"

"Don't say things like that!"

"Why?" Veronica laughed angrily. "It's true! Name to me one thing you have done to earn any sort of influence over me! Nothing!"

Severus sputtered, admittingly at a loss with her request but unwilling to concede.

"And another thing, I'm sick and tired of you constantly having a go at Sirius!" She added, "I've defended you when he says something mean while you're away, but you know what? I'm starting to understand what he means! You _are _being selfish! I didn't want to admit it to myself, but I am tired of pretended like everything is okay when it's not. I'm tired of having to fake a smile everytime you're around. And I'm just of just going with whatever you say because _I have no other choise than to do so_."

Veronica took a breath, glad to finally get everything that had been weighing on her out into the open.

"Sirius has been the only person I have been able to talk to who actually listened to what I have to say and _understands_ what I mean. Without him I would have gone mad in that cabin, and you wouldn't have even noticed!"

This stunned Severus into silence. It was one thing when she spoke for herself, but the mention of Sirius's name made him clam up. Something inside of him clicked on like an ingrained sequence in his mind that he had no control over.

"If that's the way you feel, then perhaps you'd find Black company more agreeable than my own." He growled. "Then again, with the time you've been alone together, perhaps you already have."

The words went straight into Veronica's heart like bullet. Their loaded meaning and spiteful accusations poisoned the very air around them and turned it bitter and sour in the mouth.

Their coldness froze the air in her lungs and her mouth hung open for a moment as she struggled to find her breath. But when she did, Veronica simply shook her head at the statement.

"Wow." She scoffed, reaching up to wipe her eye and laughing bitterly. "What a thing to say. How long have you been holding onto that one?"

Severus knew the mistake the instant the words passed his lips, but he hadn't been able to stop them. He didn't even mean them; their sole purpose had been to hurt her. And they succeeded spectacularly.

"I-"

"Save it." She sneered painfully, forcing a smile across her face. "I'm going to go finish filling out the paperwork. If you want to see your son before we leave, he's with Molly upstairs."

There was no goodbye.

She returned to the table in silence and picked up the pen once more.

Sirius watched her for a moment before standing up with a furiously indignant look on his face. He reached for his wand before Veronica stopped him without looking up.

"Don't" She commanded. "It's not worth it."

"He shouldn't even think such a thing about you."

"Well, apparently it's crossed his mind." Veronica popped her neck. "But it doesn't matter, not now."

"Let's just get this finished." Kingsley insisted. "Here are the details of your relocation, and the rules you will need to abide by."

Upstairs, Severus had asked Molly for a moment alone with his son. It was willingly granted, and Severus sat on the ground with Valerian in his arms.

He was so beautiful.

So important.

The idea of being separated from him even more than before tore at his heart and Severus quickly pressed his eyes shut to will away any tears that threatened to spill over his hot face.

"I-" He swallowed. "I don't know if you can really understand me yet." He began, sitting Valerian up to look into his eyes. "But you need to know that, no matter what happens between your mother and I, I will always love you. And I will always take care of you in whatever way I possibly can."

Valerian stared at his father, and for a moment Severus felt like he was listening, which urged him to continue talking.

"Know that whatever I did, I only did it because I wanted to keep you both safe. Because I love you both so much that I don't know what I would do if anything ever happened to you. You're the best thing that has ever happened to me, and no matter what I will always be there if you need me."

Severus let out a ragged breath and swallowed hard. "You don't have to do what I did, Valerian. Ask you mother about me, and even if you don't like what you hear. Even if you decide that I was a mean, selfish son of a bitch, learn from my mistakes. And know that even if I was a mean, selfish son of a bitch, I will always love you. Don't ever feel like I don't."

Valerian sneeze and Severus laughed a little, a rough, breathy laugh that seemed born of desperation then mirth. He held the baby closer to him, not wanting to upset him but also never wanting to let go in case it was the last time they were each other.

When Veronica had finished the paperwork, Albus sent some of the order to collect only necessities from the cabin and assured her that most of what she might need would be provided to her by Sirius.

"And it will just be me and the baby this time?"

"That's right." Sirius nodded, "I'm staying here incase of a fight, but I will write you and keep you updated if you like. Any mail you get will be ferried through me."

"I appreciate that." Veronica took his hand. "You're doing so much for me, why?"

"Because." Sirius smiled a little. "You didn't ask for any of this. All you did was try to save some kids."

Veronica nodded before turning to Dumbledore.

"Albus." She caught his attention. "When I'm gone, I want you to go to my greenhouse. in the back, there is a trunk of gardening tools, empty it out. In the bottom is all the work I have done on Horcruxes."

"What?" Dumbledore stood, "You continued your research then?"

"That week I spent in my room." Veronica confessed. "I was desperately searching for someway to kill him. I tried to remember every detail from the meetings I attended, and I wrote them down. Anything that stood out, I wrote down."

"you think there are more." Albus nodded knowingly, "More than just the diary."

"I don't know how many." Veronica nodded. "And I don't know where they are. Everything I know is in those papers. Please, don't let anyone get to them before you do."

"We won't" Sirius assured her, hugging her tightly. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't know." Veronica shook her head. "part of me thought that if I said it out loud, something would happen, and it would all be for nothing." She pulled away and turned to the headmaster. "And one more thing, Albus."

"Yes?"

"Go back along my family tree." She instructed him. "To the Gaunts. He's proud of them for some reasons. That's the only reason he kept me around. If there's anything connected to them that remains, destroy it. Just in case."

Dumbledore nodded seriously.

"It will be done."


	11. Nebraska

"It's small" Sirius looked around the modest house Veronica had been set up in. "But it will due I think."

"I never thought I would be back here." Veronica shook her head. "Good Ole' U S of A."

"We managed to work with the American Magical Government." Sirius sighed. "We don't think it's likely that any of you-know-who's brood will come looking for you here."

"Yeah." Veronica scoffed, "In the middle of East Jesus Nowhere."

"Exactly." Sirius nodded. "Also known as Nebraska."

Veronica looked around.

It was one floor only with a bedroom in the back and a small bathroom. The kitchen and the livingroom were basically one in the same. The carpet was an ugly, dusty mustard yellow, and the kitchen was laid with chipped tile. The walls were dusty and needed a good scrubbing.

In fact, everything was dusty and needed a good scrubbing.

But Veronica was glad to have it all the same.

"Sorry, we didn't have much time to get it ready for you."

"It's perfect." Veronica shook her head. "It's a project. When it's all done, I'll have a new start."

Sirius smiled at her optimism, "Now the few things we pulled from your cabin are in the back bedroom, but everything else is taken care of. Electric, water, heating and cooling, telephone line. Hell, we even managed to scrounge you up a car to get to and from town. Which brings me to the big hang up with all of this."

"Yeah?" Veronica turned to him, "That is?"

"You can't use your wand."

Veronica sucked in a breath, she had never been without her wand before. Even when she was with Vince, she had used her wand around the house.

"Wandless magic is fine, so is potion brewing if you want to do that," Sirius explained, "but the wand had to be put up somewhere safe, and only used in life threatening situations. No apparition either. Nothing the Ministry can track. You never know how far the corruption goes."

Veronica sighed but nodded. "I understand."

"Good." He smiled broadly, "Now let me show you my favorite part. I picked it out myself."

He led her into a small back room off the living room and spread out his arms, "TaDa."

"What is it?"

"Muggles call it a computer."

Veronica tilted her head at the large white box sitting on a desk, with a long, flat board of letters in front. Next to the desk sat a different smaller white box that she didn't even begin to try to understand.

"Now there's none of that muggle internet out here." He explained, "But there is a sort of gadget on there where you can type your stories. It's supposed to be much faster and much more effective than a typewriter."

Veronica blinked at him in confusion. "But if I type on this, how do I get it on paper? How will people read it?"

"Ah." Sirius held up a finger and tapped on the other white box, "That's what this is for, it's a printer. You see it connects to the computer, and all the information goes into it and you can print it out on paper. It's all in here." He handed her a thick paper booklet.

Veronica took the booklet and laughed awkwardly, "Hell, by the time I work this think out, I may be able to come back."

Sirius chuckled and led her back out before looking around. "And that's everything. Do you have any more questions?"

"Yeah uh, if I need anything how do I get ahold of you?"

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Sirius pointed to the bedroom. "In there on the wall, there's a large glass mirror. It's called a foe glass. Consider it your sort of security system. If you ever want to make sure you're still safe, tap on the glass in the middle. If you do that, it will show you all your enemies. The clearer the picture is, the closer they are. And if you ever need anything, all you need to do is fog up the glass and write my name on it."

He paused and pulled a much smaller mirror out of his pocket, one that could be mistaken for an ordinary compact. "When you do that, this little thing will heat up and when I hit the glass, we can talk through it."

"That's incredible." Veronica marveled.

"You can thank Mad-Eye for the idea. He's the one who patented it." Sirius chuckled, "Now, are you sure you're going to be okay on your own?"

"I think so." Veronica nodded, eyeing the bedroom where Valerian was taking his mid-day nap. "Thank you again, for helping me with this."

"Happy to do it." Sirius assured her, "Oh, one more thing. If you happen to publish anything out here, I'd recommend doing it under a pseudonym."

After Sirius left, Veronica looked around with a sigh. She left a little lost, to be honest, in a new place with no real connections.

But in a way, it was liberating.

She didn't have to look over her shoulder anymore, and she didn't have to stay on the property if she didn't want to. She looked out the window at the December snow that covered as far as the eye could see. And in the prairies, that was a considerable span of land.

It was bright outside, however, and Veronica decided to pull all the living room curtains right open and let the midday sun light the house.

If she was going to live like a muggle, she was going to start right at that moment, she decided as she pulled off her witch's robes and folded them up. She stuffed them in a box and shoved the box under the bed, then pulled on sweater and sweatpants and tied up her hair.

Flicking on the large black and white TV, she found a local news station that she used a white noise as she pulled cleaning supplies out from under the kitchen sink and looked around critically.

Might as well start with the floors.

By dinnertime, she had the kitchen floor cleaned and polished and she had spent four hours hand scrubbing the ugly carpet with water and vinegar until the color was almost a pleasant sunshine yellow.

Arms limp from cleaning, Veronica sat cross-legged on the couch with Valerian suckling at her breast and flipped through TV channels until she landed on something semi-interesting. It was some old movie, even in black and white she could tell it was dated from the way the actors spoke in that elegant, Hollywood type of way. She watched with interest as some ingénue threw herself at a much older, disinterested man who told her to move on and forget about it.

The scene filled her with discomfort, and she flipped the channel to the news before some nagging feeling told her to flip back.

She did so anxiously and watched as the two inevitably fell out then fell back in love and rode off into the sunset as the screen faded to black.

There was something comforting about the stability of movies like that.

The two lovers always ended up together, no matter what.

If only real life could be so simple.

She turned off the television as she burped the baby and held him up. She glanced out the window and smiled.

"I think it's time for a bath and then time for bed, huh?" she spoke to him as if he were any other person, something she had picked up from Severus.

She suspected he was right about it helping his brain develop, considering he seemed so much more advanced then she remembered a 5-month-old being. He sat up fully and seemed to pay attention to everything, and he babbled and talked to himself as he played.

His hair was still just as thick and black as it had been at birth, and his eyes were darkening as Veronica had expected. But he still had her face, her nose, her lips.

Veronica had stopped swaddling him, for he usually broke free of it and preferred to sleep with his limbs splayed. And he continued to wriggle, and squirm as young boys were known to do, squawking and baying happily without prompting.

Veronica was glad for that, glad that the world she had pulled them out of had not gotten to him. Now he had a chance to grow up as she wanted him to.

A chance to be happy and safe , and never know what it was like to have evil looming over them.

He would never see his mother so low again, Veronica decided right then and there. She had been selfish to let herself retreat into such darkness, to fall prey to such vengeful and angry impulses.

Her son deserved so much better than that.

She bathed him in a small plastic tub and wrap him in a soft towel, kissing his face and singing nursey rhymes as she dressed him in a warm onesie.

Curling into the bed, she peered in the small box of necessary things the order had grabbed for her and frowned, finding no baby toys or books within.

"Well, I'll just think one up then." She whispered, rocking him on the edge of the bed and humming as she tried to remember any of the classics.

"Once upon a time, there was a brave little girl who lived in a village outside of a big castle. No one knew who lived in the castle because no body ever went it and no body every came out, but people at the market were still ordered to deliver food there everywhere, so they knew someone must live there. And one day the girl decided to explore the castle and see for herself. Well she went around the rooms and didn't find anyone until she reached the dungeon. While she was down in the dungeons, she came upon this large, monstrous beast with big teeth and lots of thick black fur, and black eyes. And the beast told her that now that she had seen him, she wasn't allowed to leave. And the girl was very upset by that, but she told that beast that he couldn't tell her what to do. So, she left him there and went back to her house and slammed the door."

She looked down at the baby and found he was still slightly awake and sighed.

"But the next day, she felt very curious about this beast. So, she returned to the castle and went to the dungeon and found him there again. And the beast didn't roar at her this time, instead he asked her if she had brought any of the village people with her. The girl asked why she would do such a thing, and the monster replied, 'well I suppose I expected you to bring back a mob to kill me.' The girl said, 'well I haven't. I just want to know why you stay in the dungeons all the time.' And the beast told her that he says in the dungeons all the time because he doesn't see much point in going outside. People are always afraid of him, and he prefers to say in there where people can't see him."

Valerian began to drift off to sleep and Veronica rose to put him in his crib. "I'll tell you the rest in the morning." She whispered and turned off the light, climbing onto the queen-sized bed for herself and sighing. But tired as she was, her tale had stirred something inside of her.

Perhaps, she thought, horror wasn't what she needed to write right now.

Perhaps the people needed something a little lighter to fill their time.

_**Hey guys! Thanks for all the reviews that had been coming in, I really light up whenever I get one. **_

_**A little side note, I stopped doing song fics when I was 12 but recently I found a song that really inspires me to write this story. If you want to give it a listen, it's called "I'd Give My Life For You" from Miss Siagon. I personally love the performance from the Olivier Awards in 2015, but the original version is beautiful too. Anyway, let me know what you guys think, and I'll update soon!. **_


	12. Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind

"Where is she!?"

Severus landed on the stone floor of the Malfoy cellar and let out a whining croak as the air was knocked out of him.

His collar was soaked with his own blood, most of it coming from his nose or lip as both were bleeding heavily.

"I told you already, _I don't know_!" He growled, rolling on to his back and swallowing hard. "I came home three days ago, and she and the baby were gone! No note, nothing!"

"Hogwash." Bellatrix stormed up to him and hauled him up from the ground, her gaunt form hiding a surprising amount of physical strength. "Where is the little bitch?"

"Are you _deaf?"_

"Crucio!"

Severus did his level best not to cry out as the all too familiar agony engulfed him. He could wait it out, he had done it before. And even if he couldn't, he'd die before he told the truth.

Bellatrix let up after Severus blacked out and left him curled in the cold stone floor. Narcissa came down after watching her sister reemerge from the basement and covered him in a heavy blanket.

"Severus?" She whispered, "Can you hear me?"

Severus let out a weak groan in response and Narcissa nodded. "You did well, you're going to be okay."

Severus didn't say anything, only closing his exhausted eyes. Narcissa shook her head.

Poor man, to lose so much and be treated this way.

She knew Severus to be a good man, albeit a hard one to deal with.

But he didn't deserve to be treated like a criminal, not when he was no doubt suffering.

She could recall the first time she had seen him, nothing but a slip of a boy in ill-fitting trousers and his mother's shirts, trying his damnedest to be the best wizard he could and suffering every indignity along the way. Lucius had pitied him, and in truth Narcissa had too. She had nearly been ready to graduate when she first met Severus.

A prefect, who decided to take a mothering role to this strange little boy with an ugly face and heavy accent. An accent she remembered staying up night to help him drop because he got tired of being teased for sounding "lesser" than the other students.

"Mum?"

Narcissa stiffened as Draco jogged down the stairs.

"Is he?"

"No, Draco" Narcissa shook her head. "He's just very tired. I want you to tell the house elves to make up a room for him on the first floor tonight. He's in no condition for the stairs."

When Severus's strength returned slowly, slow enough the Lucius took the initiative to haul him to his feet with the dark-haired wizard's arm over his shoulder and all but drag him into one of many spare bedrooms.

"Hey." Lucius slapped his face slightly and the young man blinked slowly, his eyes still adjusting to the light after hours in the dark cellar. "Can you hear me?"

Severus nodded and Lucius sighed. "Can you speak yet?"

Severus let out a croak that masked an audible Yes, and Lucius let out a breath of relief.

"Do you know what your name is?"

"Severus Snape." He croak roughly, each syllable was a challenge for his ragged larynx.

"Do you know where you are?"

"Your house."

"And who am I?"

Severus paused before letting out an impish snicker, "An arrogant prick?"

Lucius scoffed, rolling his eyes but nodding, "Cute."

Severus smiled slightly and began to sit up. "Thank you, though."

"No problem." Lucius nodded, "But you know this isn't the end of this."

"I really don't know where she is, Lucius." Severus insisted. "I don't, she just disappeared. I even went to Dumbledore, he has no idea either. Or if he does, he's not telling me."

"You know the Dark Lord isn't going to accept that."

"Well what does he want me to do, make something up?" Severus retorted defensively. "He's not the only one missing her."

Lucius sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. "Have you filed a missing person's report?"

"Yeah." Severus nodded, "No word yet. This isn't like her, she wouldn't just up and leave without telling me where she was going. Certainly not with the baby."

"Maybe she was forced into hiding." Lucius suggested, "And Dumbledore just isn't telling you."

Severus nodded slowly, praying Lucius wouldn't figure it out for himself. "In that case we're rightly lost, because I can't think of anyone close enough to her that could be trusted as a secret keeper, outside of me that is."

Lucius grumbled and stood up. "Don't worry, old man." He patted Severus on the shoulder firmly. "We'll find her, it won't be long now."

Didn't respond, and Lucius took this to mean the man was still trapped in his own mind, and perhaps too tired to pull himself out.

Across the globe, Veronica found herself blending into her new surroundings with ease. It was almost too natural, the way she waltzed about the town with Valerian in his pram and acquainted herself with her surroundings.

The town, quaintly named Honey Hallow, seemed to be a village trapped in time. There was a school, a library, and a townhall that sat connected to the post office. The town center was a cobblestone circle lined with small Mom and Pop owned shops that Veronica perused through their clean front windows, taking note of what sold what and whether it might be helpful to know.

Veronica had sat in the house for two days before deciding it would probably be best to make some sort of connections in the town. So, she decided to bundle her son up snuggly and take him for a short walk through the town. But the winter cold was growing harsh as the wind swept across the treeless prairie, and Valerian began to fuss, so Veronica thought it wise to duck into a small shop to get out of the cold.

A silver bell ran over head as they entered, and Veronica looked around to find the small space filled wall to wall with shelves of books.

"Hello?"

The voice was as high as a whistle and twittered as it spoke. A small woman came bustling to the front of the shop, climbing a stool to see over the tall wood counter and peer at her guest through heavy, coke bottle glasses.

"Hello." Veronica replied with a sheepish smile. "are you open?"

"Certainly." The small woman smiled, her glasses glittering like beetle eyes and taking Veronica in up and down. "Sure, is brisk out there, huh?"

"You can say that again." Veronica nodded, parking the buggy by the door and lifting Valerian up slowly. "sh, sh, sh, ooooh poor baby." She cooed and bounced him. "I'm sorry, he's just been so fussy these days."

"No problem at all." The shopkeeper waved her hand and peered over at the baby with interest. "What a beautiful baby."

"Thank you." Veronica laughed and cuddled Valerian closer to her chest. "His name is Val."

"Val!" The woman exclaimed, "That was my husband's name!"

"Really?" Veronica tilted her head. "Small world."

"We've never met." The woman noted. "I'm Mary Agnes."

"Veronica, Veronica…" She paused, she wasn't sure if it was smart to use her real name, so she thought quickly and chose the only other name she had been known by. "Weathers."

"Veronica Weathers." Mary Agnes nodded.

"I'm new here." Veronica explained. "I moved her from Wales."

"I was going to say, you have just the loveliest accent." Mary Agnes noted. "Well It's good to know you."

"Well." Veronica looked around. "Leave it to me to find the bookstore first."

"Have a look around. There are children's books in the back if you like."

Veronica nodded and bounced Val on her hip as she browsed the aisles and even picked up a few books that she decided were reasonably priced enough to indulge. She even found a thick paper back entitled "Home Computers for Dummies"

"You know, there's a pediatrician here in town." Mary Agnes informed her, "He's been around for decades, very good."

"Well, if he keeps on the way he is, then I might just have to call him up." Veronica tucked the plastic bag of book in the crook of her arm and struggled to keep bouncing her son until she managed to place him back in the buggy and braved the cold once more.

The walk went on without any further event, and Veronica quickly returned to the truck to buckled Val into his car seat before climbing in herself.

There was something strange about driving after going so long without doing it. She hadn't even gotten a license until she was 23, and she had never driven in America before. Thankfully she never found herself driving on the wrong side of the road.

Valerian continued to squawk and fuss all the way hope and Veronica sighed, unbuckling him and pulling him into her lap.

"What's the matter honey?" She half begged. "What's wrong?"

Of course, there was no response and instead of asking further, she carried him into the house and turned up the heat before removing his constricting winter garb and walking around with him over her shoulder. She checked the clock and shook her head. "Maybe you need feeding. Are you hungry?"

She sat and removed her bra, but he refused to latch on. She took his temperature and found no fever and found no sore or scratches on his body that might cause pain.

So, she simply sat and cradled him, closing her eyes and trying to muffle his cries as well as she could before sighing.

She knew what he wanted.

He missed his father. Even if he didn't know it, Veronica realized that her son sensed something was different, something was wrong.

Something she couldn't really fix, at least, not on her own.


	13. The Letter

Sirius was reluctant to give Veronica's letter to Snape.

It didn't feel right, not after what the potion's master had said right before she had left. Sirius had wanted to throw his wand away and throttle him bare handed in that moment, but he knew it would only make things worse.

But he certainly didn't let the incident drop. Even if it made himself look like a proper ass, Sirius made sure the Severus knew exactly how awful what he said really was.

At first Severus had fought back, defensive to the core when the handsome wizard flat out told him that even if he hadn't slept with Veronica, he had treated her better than Severus ever had.

Were Severus a younger man, still hotheaded and full of unbridled rage, he would have killed the man.

But instead, he simply sneered and told Sirius he was just bitter because his time as a lapdog was done with.

But each time Sirius made a smart remark, Severus's rebuttals became weaker, until eventually they stopped all together and he bore his shame in silence.

He knew what he said was out of line, spoken in spiteful anger with the pure intent to cut her deep. At from the way it looked now, it seemed he would never get a chance to apologize.

That is until he got a letter.

_Dear Severus, _

_I don't like how we left things, but I want you to know I'm still hurt from what you said. _

_But how I feel isn't the issue right now, our son is. _

_He misses his father, and even though I know I can not come to you, and you can not come to us, I think there might be a way that he can find comfort in you even if you are so far away…._

Severus read the rest of the letter quickly and all but leapt into action. The plan was simple, and he sat up all night carrying it out.

Sirius hand delivered the large burgundy envelope with a look of slight displeasure, but Veronica only offered him a small smile.

"He deserves to hear from his father, Sirius."

"I know, I know." Black sighed. "It's just…well you know my thoughts about the man. And nothing I have seen has changed them."

"I know." Veronica nodded. "Is it terrible to say that I miss him?"

"No" Sirius grumbled. "Just sad."

"Sad?"

"Yes, sad." Sirius sat at her table and nodded his thanks as she sat a cup of tea in front of him. "It's sad that someone as kind as you would be devoted to someone like him."

Veronica shrugged. "I guess you just don't know him as I do."

"I've known him for over twenty years." Sirius scoffed.

"Yes." Veronica agreed. "But not as I do."

Sirius left at sun set, using a special portkey the order made illegally so it could not be tracked.

That night, after being fed and washed, Valerian began to fuss once more. He squirmed and bayed unhappily until his mother reached for the red envelope on the table and cut the wax seal with a knife.

As soon as its seal was slashed, the envelope jerked and shivered to life. The folded lip of the paper formed a mouth and two large, oval eyes of dark brown blinked on the surface before floating over the cradle and peering down at the baby.

Valerian paid it no mind and continued to sob until a familiar baritone began to speak over his crib.

Veronica leaned on the bedroom door and watched with a knowing smile as the baby's cries cut off and he stared curiously at the talking paper that carried his father's soothing tone.

The letter went on for hours, and Veronica realized Severus had made sure to transcribe every children's story he could think of into the letter. It wasn't long before the baby had drifted off to sleep, but Veronica continued to listen.

Not to the words, just to the voice. It's timbre, the way it rose and fell slightly as the stories went on. The rich quality of the bass in certain words and the softness, almost gentleness, of others.

God, how she wished she could see the owner of that voice once again.

It was true that she was still hurt from what he said. And it made her realize that there were sides of Severus that she wasn't fully familiar with. Ugly sides that he hid from her.

But there were sides she hid from him to. No one is perfect.

She didn't intend for this separation to be forever, but she realized that it was necessary if they were to survive this madness.

He needed to be able to do his job without worrying about her safety. And she needed to keep her child safe without darkness breathing down her neck like rabid wolves.

She crawled into bed and closed her eyes, still listened until the tone of the letter changed.

"Valerian." The letter spoke in the familiar voice. "One more thing, son. I want you to tell your mother something."

Veronica sat up and stared at the floating letter and realized it was looking at her now, not the baby. The large eyes seemed to convey that emotion that words carried.

"Tell her that I'm sorry for everything. She was right to leave, and I was too selfish to realize that she needed to get away even more than I needed her to stay. Tell her I was a cruel fool for saying what I did, you're too young to understand it, but it was awful, and she didn't deserve it. I was angry, and stupid, and I wanted to hurt her, and I did, and now I realize I might've well cut off my own arm than leave her there like I did. I don't expect her to forgive me. Frankly I can't even forgive myself. But I need her to know that I'm sorry. That I will love her no matter where she goes or how long she's away from me, because when she left, she took part of my heart with her."

The Letter ended and sealed itself back up, ready for the next time it might be needed, and fell to the floor. But Veronica didn't rush to pick it up, she was too busy wiping the hot tears from her face.

Tear of happiness, yes; but also tears of sorrow, and regret for not rushing up those stairs after him when she had the chance. And tears of gratitude that he had realized his mistake, and she could run back to him without feeling like an idiot.

She stopped crying when Valerian squirmed in his bed and held her breath as she picked up the letter and slipped it into her bedside table for safe keeping before slipping into bed.

Suddenly, the left side of the mattress didn't feel so empty.


	14. Hot Blooded

**I'm almost dreading writing the next parts of this series because that means I have to re-watch the last three movies, which I make a point of avoiding because they make me so sad. **

Severus sat at his desk with a glass of whiskey half dangling from his hand at around three in the morning.

The day hadn't been the worst he'd ever had, but it was certainly up there. The Dark Lord was still looking for Veronica, and from what he could tell he could very well be getting close. He'd already ruled out Europe, exhausting every one of the Deatheaters by sending them from one country to the next in certain of her.

He'd tried to get a letter out to Sirius, but never got around to it. He had given up trying to get a moment with Dumbledore with the Ministry's bright pink bulldog sniffing around the school at all times. She had all but outdone Dumbledore by granting herself authority over the school with the Ministry's blessing, and thus was driving both students and staff to the brink of madness.

Taking another drink, he nearly choked with the portrait on his desk began to move and a face appeared in the frame.

"Professor Snape!" The miniature man in purple robes alerted him and Severus contained a roll of his eyes before sighing.

"What is it _now?"_

"There's trouble with the Potter boy."

"There is always trouble with the Potter boy." Severus grumbled but began to shove papers into his desk and retrieved his wand reluctantly.

"The Headmaster required your presence in his office right away!"

"Yes, yes, yes." Severus nodded and stormed out of his office.

Why did Potter always have to wait until Severus was dan near exhaustion to have a crisis? Why couldn't he ever need help right before lunch? Or some other time when the sun was up?

"You summoned me Headmaster?" Severus rumbled, eyeing Potter as he sat in one of the chairs in front of Dumbledore's desk. He had to admit, the boy looked dreadful.

He was pale and drenched in a cold sweat. His eyes were wide and clearly frightened like a hospital patient who had just received a strange diagnosis.

"Severus." Dumbledore sighed in relief. "Thank God, I'm afraid this couldn't wait. Not even until morning." The old wizard was pale as well, a sight that truly did disturb Severus. Dumbledore was not one to easily be shaken. "Otherwise, we'll all be vulnerable."

Severus listened to the night's events and sucked in a breath. "How is this possible?"

"I don't know." Dumbledore swallowed hard. "But you're the only person I could think of that might be of some help. You've guarded your mind from the Dark Lord for years."

Severus eyed Potter and for a moment actually pitied the boy. "I'll do what I can."

"What's going on here?" Harry demanded in an exhausted tone. "I don't understand."

"I'll try to explain on the way, but for now you must follow me." Severus instructed him firmly, snatching his sleeve and all but dragging him down the stairs.

"Professor Snape, what's going on?!"

"It would appear." Severus began, "That there is a connection between the Dark Lord's mind and your own."

"What?"

"Let me finish." Severus snapped, bursting through the potion's room door and lighting all the torches so they had ample vision. "It means that apparently you can see what he sees and, God Forbid, he can see from your eyes as well. And more."

"You mean." Harry's eyes widened. "You mean He can read my mind?"

"I wouldn't put it in so simple of terms." Severus sneered. "The mind is not like a book to be opened and read on a whim. It is a labyrinth of knowledge, memories, emotions, and everything else that could prove to be our undoing should The Dark Lord have access to them."

"What can I do?" Harry's heart raced, the idea of Voldemort rooting around in his brain terrifying him.

"Have you ever heard of Occlumency, Potter?"

"No."

"I figured not." Severus grumbled. "Not with that sorry excuse of a defense professor you have now. Let me explain, In the past it was the Dark Lord's pleasure to invade the minds of his victims. Often times planting visions in their heads that could drive them to madness. Loved one's being murdered, their own demise, and worse."

Harry sat in the chair Snape pushed to the center of the room and watched at the tall professor pulled out his own wand and kept his back to him.

"It was only after extracting the last amount of agony and they were begging for death; did he finally kill them."

"How do you know all of this?"

Severus turned to him, his face like stone as he struggled for a suitable answer to give a child.

"Potter, I have seen acts of terror and cruelty committed by the very worst of mankind. I think you will find that there is very little I have at least some knowledge about." He took a breath, "This is very fortunate for you, because I can teach you how to protect your mind from invasion should the Dark Lord ever discover your link."

Harry sniffed and nodded. "How do we do it?"

"I am going to attempt to invade your mind, and you in turn will attempt to expel me." Severus motioned for him to set his wand aside. "No wands, Potter. It will be too tempting to fend me off using physical counter measures, but that will not be an option with the Dark Lord so you must train your mind until it is strong enough to expel someone without violence."

Harry nodded and set his wand on one of the desks. "Is there some sort of method to it?"

"From what I understand, it feels different for everyone." Severus shrugged. "We will start with me entering your mind and you doing what feels right in the moment. If that does not work, we'll go from there."

Harry took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "I'm ready."

The feeling was nearly indescribable when Snape easily broke through Harry's mental barrier and explored his innermost thoughts. He didn't look around too much, simply remaining still as Harry feebly attempted to force him out. After about two minutes, Severus withdrew, and Harry stumbled backwards and leaned on the chair.

"You're going to want to sit down, Potter."

Severus sat on the edge of his desk and watched the boy recover. "How do you feel?"

"Terrible." Harry panted, wiping sweat from his brow. "I can't describe it."

"Try" Severus insisted, "Painful? Numb?"

"Painful." Harry breathed, regaining his composure and sitting in the chair. "More painful at first, then just an ache. It almost felt like there was a hornet buzzing around in my skull and I couldn't get it out."

Severus nodded and looked at the clock. Nearly four in the morning.

Severus's mind told him that the lessons needed to start that second if they were to remain safe, not a moment could be spared. But the human part of him said there was no away he could possibly teach the boy when he was in this state. Severus rubbed his face and thought for a moment. "I want you down in this room after dinner every night, do you understand?"

Harry nodded solemnly. "Yes Professor."

"Until then." Severus motioned for him to follow into his actual office and pulled a plain white volume off of a shelve before thrusting it into the boy's hands. "Read this, play close attention to the chapters on repelling invasion and building your mental walls"

Harry fumbled with the book at first and back out of the office as Snape all but shoved him out.

"But before you do that, I want you to go back to your room and try to get a few more hours of sleep. You're no good to me exhausted."

"Sir?"

"What is it?"

"Can Voldemort see everything I know. Even what I'm not sure of."

"He could." Severus nodded. "If he know about the link."

Harry swallowed. "I have something to confess."

Severus stiffened, confessions were never a good thing. "Out with it then."

"I know- I mean I think I know where Madame Largo is hidden."

Severus's eyes widened and Harry stumbled back when the larger man came nose to nose with him.

"How could you possibly know?" Severus growled, taking Harry by the front of his shirt. "Tell me!"

"At Grimmuld Place!" Harry sputtered. "During Christmas when I was visiting Sirius. There was ledger in Sirius's room, only I didn't know what it was then, and I peaked in it. And I saw her name and an address!"

Severus's heart raced and he let Harry go. He didn't know whether to thank him for his honesty to choke him for his foolishness. Caught between the two he whipped his want to the door, and it burst open.

"Get out." He bellowed, "Go to bed. Not a word of this to anyone, do you understand me?"

Harry nodded, fearing he had said something wrong and rushed out of the potions classroom as Severus wrote an urgent owl to Sirius before barging up to Dumbledore's office.

"Albus!" He banged on the door twice before opening it, not waiting for a response. "Albus, get in here, it's important!"

"What is it Severus?"

"Veronica is in danger."

"What? Again?"

"This isn't a time for levity!" Severus snapped. "Potter saw the address the Order put her at, and he thinks the Dark Lord might be able to access it! That damned fool, Black wrote it down in some book, I know he couldn't be trusted with something like this!"

"Severus calm down!" Albus tightened his robe and approached the man.

"I will not calm down!" Severus barked. "For God's sake, Deatheaters could be on her doorstep right now and we wouldn't know it!"

"I doubt the Dark Lord knows, Severus." Dumbledore assured him. "At least not right now he doesn't. Now, I will go to Grimmuld Place and talk to Sirius in the morning, and we will send go to Veronica's hiding place and see that she is secure. There is no reason to get yourself so worked up."

"Let me come." Severus growled. "I've got a few things I'd like to say to that mangy, worthless…"

"You will do no such thing, Severus Snape!" Albus snapped at him in an uncharacteristically harsh tone. "You own that man much for what he's done for Veronica! The length of your ingratitude is astounding."

"My ingratitude?" Severus's jaw dropped. "The man almost _murdered me when I was sixteen, Albus!"_ Severus nearly laughed in astonishment. "And _you _would have covered for him!"

"Now Severus."

"Don't you 'Now Severus' me you opportunistic old son of a bitch!" Severus yelled, "I'm tired of you defending him when he puts others in danger. I stayed silent when it was me, but this is my wife and child that's on the line! I won't have them suffer from your in action!"

"You go too far!" Albus banged his fist on the desk and the room went cold. "I'll hear no more of this. I told you what I will do, and I will do it as I said. Now I want you out of this office or I will have you removed from the school grounds permanently. Am I making myself perfectly clear?"

Severus's demeanor turned from fire to ice in an instantly and he pulled himself up perfectly straight before turning. "Completely….Headmaster."

"Goodnight then" Albus huffed, watching Severus leave stiffly before letting out a sigh and sinking into his chair.

Albus often wished Severus would show more personality, but he always found himself regretting it when he finally did.


	15. Mama Bear

Veronica was nearly exhausted.

It had been an event trying to get Valerian to try baby food, but he finally took to it after fussing and crying for most of the night. He then proceeded to make a mess of the veggie puree the second Veronica's back was turned so she spent the rest of the night bathing him, then cleaning the kitchen.

Muggle babies were messy enough, but magic babies were an extra chore when they decided to test their budding abilities by sending the contents of their food jar splattering across the walls and ceiling.

So, after scrubbing the walls and floor for an hour and a half, Veronica was beat to hell and it was only eight pm.

But Valerian was not having it, instead angrily trying to fight off sleep but wailing every so often to wake himself back up.

"This won't do at all." Veronica grumbled and looked outside. The winter months were melting away as foliage began to poke out of the ground outside. Perhaps a night walk would tire him out.

Lashing the baby to her hip with a wrap, Veronica stepped outside and took a deep breath. The damp smell of fresh spring was a welcome arrival, turning the flat Nebraska tundra into a canvas of opportunity.

The first few months in this new home had been a struggle. It was cold, and boring, and she didn't know a sole for over a hundred miles.

Now it had grown on her. Especially with spring coming around and the air starting to warm, she could walk outside without fear of being watched. She had made casual friends with the people in town that she deemed necessary to know, including the pediatrician, the grocer, and Mary Agnes the bookstore owner.

They all knew her to be Veronica Weathers, a widow with a young baby who had moved her to start over. No family outside the state lines, and no friends outside of the little town of Honey Hallow. She had become a model citizen; she always bought a small bouquet of flowers on Sunday, she was always polite and friendly to everyone she met, and she even attended Sunday services at the Methodist church in town.

Despite making herself a fixture in the community, no one knew too much about her.

It happened that one day after church, she invited the Pastor's wife to tea and the woman returned to town with something of an acceptable backstory.

Her husband, Mr. Weathers, had been a teacher in the UK who had been killed during a robbery. Unable to remain in the city without her husband, she packed up and moved across the world to start her life over with her son, Val. She didn't have a 9-5 job that they knew of, instead she lived on her late husband's life insurance and wrote for an obscure magazine sold only in the UK.

It was only a thirty-minute walk to town on foot, and the weather was lovely even if it was pitch dark outside. She walked with a flashlight in one hand and the other wrapped around her son in his makeshift hammock.

She didn't speak to him, nor did she sing because she knew that if she did, then he would start paying attention to her instead of dozing off. She looked up instead and marveled at the clarity of the night sky above her. It seemed impossible that so many stars could exist. You could only see a fraction of them when you lived in a city. There was something about the lack of trees that she found soothing. Trees were like walls, they kept you boxed in and hid the fully picture from you.

The prairie was safe because it was flat and open, she could turn in a circle and see for miles. Nothing could sneak up on her.

She walked in silence until she saw the street lights in town and began to stick closely to them and turned off her flashlight. Valerian was still snuggling and yawning, but not fully asleep, so Veronica walked the sidewalks and listened to the silence of the country.

It was silence actually, if you paid attention you could hear a plethora of life.

An owl calling from the top of a building.

Wind blowing twigs and leaves across the sidewalk

In the distance, the echoing howls of coyotes that dwelled on the horizon.

When she first arrived, she had been warned to keep any pets or any farm animals she might raise well protected. Being so far from town, her home was not offered the collective protection from the wild dogs that were known to snatch up chickens, lambs, and even pets during the night.

But she was not afraid of the coyotes, she'd faced more dangerous pack animals than them.

The light in the church was still on, not surprising considering the place never actually closed. The Pastor may go home, but there was often a volunteer who would sit inside to that the doors remained open to anyone who may need a sanctuary.

Veronica entered the small church and found a stout man in street clothes sweeping the pulpit with a wood handled broom.

"Reverend?" She looked around, "I wasn't expecting you here so late."

"Mrs. Weathers. Good evening." He smiled and set his broom aside. "I'm just doing some cleaning, needed to get out of the house. Can I help you with something?"

"No, I was just talking Val for a walk." Veronica motioned to the infant in her arms that wavered in and out of sleep. "He's been a handful tonight, I thought maybe a walk would calm him down so he can sleep."

"Ah, just wait until he's walking." The Reverend chuckled, "He'll run you bow-legged alright, and you'll still have to fight to get him in bed,"

"Do you mind if I just sit in here for a bit? I won't be long."

"Please." He motioned to the pews and nodded. "Don't mind me."

Veronica sat in the front pews, the crimson velvet of the cushions giving under her weight as she bounced Valerian gently. The low glow of the altar made her sleepy, but she shook her head, she had a half an hour walk to get back to the house so she could fall asleep yet.

She heard footsteps in the entry way behind her and the Reverend greeting someone else. She didn't turn to greet the newcomer, figuring it was just one of the old ladies come to pray. With her eyes forward, she felt the newcomer draw nearer and even in the row right behind her.

"I thought you were Catholic."

Veronica froze.

The voice.

She closed her eyes and held Valerian tighter to her chest.

"Please." She whispered. "Leave me alone."

"You know I can't do that."

"Please." Veronica croaked, looking back at the Reverend. "I don't want anything to do with any of this. I just want to raise my son in peace."

"Then come home."

Narcissa Malfoy rounded the pew and sat directly next to her, keeping her voice low so they were not overheard.

"Come back to England." She whispered. "We'll tell them that you were forced into hiding, you had no choice in the matter. They used your family against you. Yes, you'll be punished, but you'll be allowed to live."

"And what if I don't want to live by those terms?" Veronica asked coldly.

"You don't have a choice." Narcissa hissed, "The Dark Lord sent me here to collect you."

"How did he find me?"

"That doesn't matter now."

Veronica closed her eyes, tears threatening but she fought them back. "Please, at least let me find a safe place for my baby to stay. He doesn't deserve all of this."

"You'd give your own child away?" Narcissa was almost disgusted but Veronica shook her head.

"No." She whispered. "but I have family here, and they will help me. I know they will."

She turned to the witch, eyes wet with tears. "Please Narcissa. Please at least let me keep my baby safe. Looking back, wouldn't you want to do the same from Draco? Wouldn't you prefer he never even knew about all of this?"

Narcissa winced and took a deep breath.

"Fine" she conceded. "Contact your family and arrange for your son to stay with them for a while. But I can not return without you."

Veronica nodded slowly and rose from the pew, motioning for Narcissa to follow her. Breaking one of the rules of her hiding, Veronica apparated them back to the house and placed Valerian in his crib. She wished she could reach for her wand in the bed side table, but Narcissa watched her like a hawk and she would never make it. She only hopped that somehow her apparition had set off some alarm and someone would check in on her.

"So, this is where you've been hiding then?" Narcissa tried her best not to sneer. "You should be glad I came then."

"it's not much." Veronica conceded, but cast a withering gaze on the witch, "but I was happy."

"Oh, Veronica." Narcissa sighed. "Always with your head in the sand. You should have known you'd never be able to run from this."

"You're right" Veronica nodded, making for the mirror that hung on her wall. "I've no owl, I'll have to use the mirror."

"Fine." Narcissa nodded.

Veronica swallowed, pressing her hand to the center of the glass.

It glowed and began to mist over before a vague face formed in the mirror. Thankfully it was not a clear image by any means.

"Cousin." Veronica spoke before Sirius's image could say anything. "I'm afraid something has come up, and I will have to leave for England soon. But I cannot bring the baby, can you take care of him for me for a little while?"

Sirius's blurry vision blinked before spotting the blurry outline of a stranger behind Veronica and nodding. "I'll take care of everything." He replied, pitching his voice slightly before hanging up.

Narcissa narrowed her eyes. "Stranger conversation."

"He knows why I'm here." Veronica lied. "I've told him before that should something happen to me, I would need him to protect my son."

"I see." Narcissa nodded.

There was a pop in the living room and the blonde witch turned toward the noise.

Veronica leapt across the bed and scrambled in her drawer for the wand as Narcissa drew her own and pointed it at the door way.

"Veronica?!"

"In here!" She called, aiming her wand at Narcissa as Sirius darted into the bedroom with his own wand already at the ready.

He blinked at his own cousin before sneering.

"Narcissa." He nodded, "Fancy seeing you here."

"I could say the same for you, Sirius." Narcissa sniffed. "Just what do you intended to do with that wand of yours?"

"Put you through a bloody wall, if need be." Sirius snapped.

"Narcissa." Veronica called her attention and shook her head. "This doesn't have to happen this way. Just leave. Tell the Dark Lord you couldn't find me or tell him I'm a traitor." Her hand shook and she sighed. "I don't want to hurt you."

"You're outnumbered Narcissa." Sirius noted. "It's up to you how this plays out."

Narcissa was torn, realizing she was entirely out matched. She lowered her wand and shoved it in her dress before glaring at Veronica.

"You're going to regret this."

"Maybe." Veronica nodded. "If I do, you can say I told you so."

Narcissa scoffed and glared at her cousin one last time before disappearing in a jet of black smoke that filled the room.

Veronica choked on the smoke before snatching Valerian up from his crib and turning to Sirius. "We have to go. Right now. She'll be telling the Deatheaters about this."

"We'll go to the order, they will find you a new place to stay."

"No." Veronica snapped. "Narcissa was right, I can't run from this. I'm going back to England."

"What." Sirius blinked. "You can't, that's insane!"

"Sirius, do you remember when you told me I needed to be more active in my own life?" Veronica turned to him. "Well guess what, I am. I'm making the rules now, not the order. I'm going back."

"What about the baby?"

"Come with me." Veronica grabbed his hand and focused on a place hundred of miles away. When she opened her eyes, they were in a familiar parlor and heard the clamor of footsteps on wood stairs.

"Who's there?! I'm armed!" A thundering voice bellowed down a wooden staircase and Veronica rushed to the foot of it. "Uncle Thaddeus, It's me. Veronica!"

"Veronica?"

Soon Sirius was so confused, his mind was whirling like a cyclone. Veronica embraced two strangers whom she called her aunt and uncle and began to beg them for help.

"I'm in danger!" She began. "I can't begin to explain, but I need you to keep my baby safe until I can return for him."

"You had a baby?" Aunt Julia's eyes widened, eyeing the small bundle in her niece's arms. "I'm a great Aunt?!"

"Yes, but please! I know it's a lot. And I know I didn't leave on good terms last night. But there are people out there who want to hurt me and my baby." Veronica exclaimed. "I need to help stop them. But I can't do it with Valerian to watch over. Please, can you help me?"

Julia looked around, overwhelmed with all of this sudden news before nodding. "Oh Darlin." She sniffed. "Of course, we'll help! We'll do whatever we can!"

Veronica hugged them both before looking down on her son and feeling her breath catch in her throat.

She took him for Julia and cuddled him close to her, pressing her cheek to his face and head.

"I know it's all very confusing now." She whispered. "But Mummy will be back soon. I promise. Mummy will come back for you very soon. Mummy loves you so much Valerian, so much. But for now, you need to stay with your Aunt Julia and Uncle Thaddeus, okay? They will keep you safe."

The baby slept on, unaware that his mother's heart was breaking at the idea of leaving him behind, but she had no other choice.

She couldn't keep running.

"I promise" She turned to her aunt and uncle. "I will be back as soon as I can, and I'll explain everything. But for know I have to go and put things in order." She looked to each of them and hugged them tightly "I love you both so much, please keep yourselves safe."

Sirius was whisked out of the house before Veronica could explain to him what just happened, and she turned to him with a look of determination.

"Sirius." She drew her wand and stuck out her chin. "Take me to the Order."


	16. A Team Effort

**A second update guys, and things are finally getting interesting again. At least interesting for me now that I've got my shit back on track. Don't forget to review if you liked it, because positive reviews and the blood of virgins keep me young a beautiful. Virgins are getting expensive these days, so help a girl out but dropping a kindly review, please and thank you, and enjoy the chapter**

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I don't have any choice."

Veronica stood in the middle of the Grimmuld Place as Sirius paced the floor.

She knew she ought to be terrified, this wasn't some kind of game. This was serious business. But all the same she felt a sort of peace as she took utter command of herself.

No one was responsible for her, save for herself.

The fireplace in the entry way blazed with life as Albus Dumbledore stepped through with a serious look on his face. Spotting Veronica in the entry way, his expression darkened, and he shook his head.

"What happened?"

"The Dark Lord discovered where I was." Veronica swallowed. "I don't know how, but I had no choice but to return. If I had found a new hiding place, he just would have found me again."

Albus nodded, "And your son?"

"He's staying with my Aunt and Uncle." Veronica took a deep breath. "I know you must think I'm being irresponsible, that my place is with my child and not here. But if he's ever going to be safe, then I need to stop sitting on the sidelines hoping everything works out."

"I wasn't thinking that at all." Albus smiled a little. "I'm just picturing the royal tantrum Severus is going to pitch."

"Let him." Veronica smiled a little. "I'm a big girl. I don't need any guard dogs." She glanced at Black and shrugged. "No offence, Sirius."

"Well if you're sure, we need all the help we can get." Albus smiled and out stretched his hand. "Welcome to the Order, Miss Largo."

The Fire place came to life once more and this time the figure who stepped out carried with him a black shadow that engulfed the room.

"You stupid son of a…"

"Severus." Veronica snapped. "I won't have any more fighting between you and Sirius. At least not while I'm in the room."

Severus froze, looking at her in a near daze.

She looked as she did in his dreams, and he had to stop himself from reaching out to touch her and see if she was real. Instead he looked to the ground shamefacedly, folding his hands behind his back and instantly recoiling from his own words.

Veronica frowned and looked to Sirius. "Can we have a moment alone, please?"

"Of course. Albus, can an interest you in a drink?" Sirius stood and ushered the Headmaster out and left the two alone.

"Severus." Veronica began carefully. "How have you been?"

Severus looked up at her awkwardly and shrugged. "Alright."

"Just alright?"

"Barely."

Veronica smiled sadly and approached him, not even hesitating to embrace him tightly. Severus froze. He thought she would hate him for the rest of his life, he had done nothing to gain her forgiveness. But still, he hugged her back tightly.

"I've missed you so much" He whispered. "I took you for granted before, I thought you would always be there. And when you were gone, I realized what a heel I had been."

"Oh Severus." Veronica pulled away. "You're right, you were a heel. But it doesn't matter now."

Severus nodded and looked into the doorway Black left through. "Veronica, I don't know how I feel about…"

"About me joining the Order." Veronica finished his sentence. "I knew you wouldn't like it. But It's the only way choice I have."

"But it isn't!" Severus insisted. "You could return to hiding, no one would think less of you if-"

"I would." Veronica cut him off. "I'd think less of me. How can I continue to sit by, knowing what I know, while you all fight for a safer world for our child? I need to do this Severus." She stepped away from him with a stern look. "And you're not stopping me."

Severus swallowed, he knew that look. He hadn't seen it in a long time, but that flicker of determination could move mountains.

"The rest of the order will be here soon." He sighed. "We'll be discussing a topic of great importance."

"Can you tell me now?"

"No" Severus shook his head. "You'll have to wait."

Veronica nodded and noted the twitchy anxiety in his movements. Frowning she took hold of his chin and turned him to look at her. "Severus." She said sharply.

He flinched, fearing she would have a go at him about something, but instead she simply kissed his gently before pulling away.

"Everything's alright between the two of us? Yes?" She questions and he nodded.

"Right." He agreed. "Everything's fine."

"Then why are you acting like that?"

Severus pulled and face a shrugged.

"This feels too easy." He confessed. "Everything being okay again."

"Well, it's not like everything is as it was before." Veronica laughed. "Things have changed between us, but it's easy to forgive someone when you love them."

At the word Love, Severus smiled reflexively. The smile spread to Veronica who kissed him again, firmer this time on the brow before pulling away and walking into the parlor where Sirius and Albus were sharing a brandy.

"All fixed then?" Albus inquired and Veronica nodded.

"All healed." She confirmed. "When are the others coming?"

"Soon. There have been come major developments since you've been away." Dumbledore informed her. "And you'll have to be brought up to date on everything else, Sirius will educate you."

"Have you figured out how the Dark Lord found me?" Veronica asked. "I know Sirius didn't tell anyone, he's not an idiot."

"Pfft"

"Severus." Veronica warned him. "You _said _you'd be _nice_."

Severus rolled his eyes and leaned against the wall as they went on.

"That actually the subject of the meeting tonight. It's a bit complicated, but I'll try to summarize as best I can. I believe that Harry Potter and the Dark Lord may be mentally linked with each other. How, we don't know. But it was through that link that Voldemort found you."

"Well How did Harry know?"

"Yes, Black." Severus prompted, "How _did _the boy know?"

Sirius winced, for once not having a comeback. "I-uh. I may have written down your location in a private ledger of mine. Harry, over the Christmas Holiday, he must have seen it." He looked away and rubbed his face. "I'm sorry Veronica."

"It doesn't matter now." Veronica shrugged. "What matters is getting it under control. It's not fun having that kind of presence in you head, I would know"

"How?" Sirius blinked.

Veronica backed away from him. "I'm rather not discuss it, it doesn't matter."

"It might." Albus reminded her, "You are of a special interest to the Dark Lord. If you know something, you need to tell us."

Severus moved closer to the group, suddenly interested. Veronica never told him about any of this. The woman shuffled uncomfortably before sighing.

"It's one of the reasons I had to leave. I couldn't stand it. I didn't know how he was doing it, but he was planting ideas in my head, horrible ones. Like he was trying to goad me into doing something awful."

"Like what?"

Veronica crossed her arms rightly over her chest. "It started after my brothers were killed, I locked myself away for a week. No food, barely any water. At first, I did nothing but sleep, but after the first two nights I did anything I could to remain awake."

Severus listened carefully, watching her eyes grown dark and worrisome. "I had dreams, dreams about killing the people who had destroyed my family. At first, I thought it was just grief. Visceral anger and sadness that drove me to revenge. But then I heard his voice, talking to me in my head. Telling me how must stronger I was than them, and how I could take control if I wanted to. Showing me visions of my brother's dying and begging me to avenge them."

She closed her eyes and shook her head. "After that, I stopped sleeping. But that didn't change anything, I could still hear him when I got tired enough. Too weak to keep him out. I thought I was going mad. Then we went to that meeting, and I nearly strangled Bellatrix Lestrange to death and I didn't even feel a little sorry for it. That's when I knew I had to leave."

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Severus stepped forward. "Something might've been done, I've-"

"What would you have done, Severus?" She turned to him, waiting for an answer before smiling. "There was nothing to do except get myself out of there."

"Well, that is over now." Sirius insisted. "Now only are you out from under his thumb, you're joining the fight against him."

"You're right." Veronica nodded. "But enough about me, what's being done about Harry?"

"Severus is training him in Occlumency." Albus explained, "We're hoping to get him to a point where he can block the connection himself."

"How's he doing?" Veronica turned to Severus.

"He's…" Severus trailed off before pulling a face. "It's a slow process, he's only been training for two days now."

"Take a guess then." Sirius insisted. "In a month or two?"

Severus pulled a grim face. "I don't have much hope."

"Merlin's Beard, man!" Sirius spat, "What sort of teacher are you?!"

"A reluctant one." Severus informed him coldly.

"Boys." Veronica eyed them. "We're not going to get anywhere with infighting."

The two wizards frowned before Sirius nodded. "She's right Snape. If we can't keep of each other's throats, we're going to kill each other before either of us gets a crack at the Dark Lord."

He pulled himself up fully before rounding the table and, to the shock and awe of everyone, offering his hand out to Snape.

"What do you say we call a truce until this whole black, bloody business is done with. Then we can picking at each other until we're content, okay?"

Severus eyed the hand unsurely, every fiber of his being of fire as he stood stone still, unsure how to process this. Of any scenario he had ever run through his head, this had never been among them.

Taking a breath, he closed his eyes.

"For the sake of the cause, and to our mutual benefit…" He swallowed. "I'll agree."

Sirius nodded and inched forward a little, still outreaching his hand expectantly.

Severus eyed it will such suspicion and discomfort, you'd have thought it was a poisonous snake.

"With that being said." He added. "I'm not quite ready for, eh…" He glanced at the hand pointedly. "Physical contact."

Sirius eyed his hand before sighing with a shrug. "Suit yourself."


	17. The Meeting

After the cold hostility of the Death Eaters, Veronica was almost shocked by how welcoming and kind the Order was. Remus was the first to arrive with Tonks on his arm, a sight that made Severus raise his brows but not say anything out right. Then came the Weasleys, with Harry and Hermione tagging along. Then the Aurors rounded out the rest of the group as they convened in the large dining room.

Molly Weasley had immediately taken over the kitchen, Sirius's blessing, and kicked the crotchety House Elf, Kreatcher, out for being too much of a downer. Veronica greeted each person who noticed her politely and readied herself for a barrage of questions.

Where's the Baby?

Where were you?

What are you doing here?

"Glad to have you on." Tonks was the first person to enthusiastically accept her into the fold. "And fair play to you for finally getting out from under these old bull dogs." She jerked her thumb at the older wizards in the room. "I had to fight tooth and nail to get here, it'll be nice to have another witch in the fray!"

"How are you taking all of this, Severus?" Remus prompted him expectantly.

Snape gritted his teeth at the question and swallowed. "No comment."

"Leave him be, Remus." Sirius chided his comrade to the surprise of the room. "Veronica made a very good point before you lot arrived, and Severus and I have decided to be adults for the foreseeable future."

"Is that so?" Remus marveled, turning to Veronica. "how did you possibly manage such a feat? The Ministry ought to grant you the Order of Merlin for that."

"Well it was very simple, really" Veronica hummed playfully. "One of them I had to guilt and manipulate into caring about me enough to put aside his pettiness for the greater good of the magical world….the other I just had to sleep with."

Remus burst out laughing at that and leaned of the back of a chair. "What Brilliance!" He howled. "Why didn't I think of that?"

"Laugh it up, Moony." Sirius poured himself a drink, shaking his head. "Last I check Severus and I aren't the only ones wrapped around someone's little finger. At least we're self-aware enough to admit it."

Remus opened his mouth to protest until Tonks shot him a knowing look and he simply smile and shrugged.

"So, explain something to me here, because I'm a little confused." Remus began. "So, you sent your son to live with your Aunt and cousins, yes?"

"That's correct." Veronica nodded taking a seat next to Severus.

"The same Cousins that tried to murder you little over a year ago."

"Murder is a strong word." Severus stepped in, "I'd say we left on awkward terms after a series of morally dubious misadventures."

"Same story, different title." Remus brushed him off. "But after all that you still trust them with your baby?"

"Well, I didn't have much of a say in this." Severus reminded him, glancing at Veronica. "Thoughts?"

Veronica sighed and rolled her eyes. "My family may be utterly mad. But I know for a fact that they would raise hell on earth before letting anything happen to one of their own. And Valerian is, at the end of the day, their kin."

Veronica had taken a moment after meeting up with the Order to return to Aunt Julia's and explain everything.

For once in her life, she was overjoyed to see that Cavin had popped in for a visit.

"You mean to tell me," Calvin hook his thumbs in his jeans and scowled. "That some low down, good for nothing, sons of bitches are trying to lay hands on my family?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

"Like Hell!" Calvin drew his wand and went red in the face. "You let me come with you. I'll take each of them down, wand or no wand."

"No Calvin." Veronica laid her hands on his shoulders. "I need you here to guard my son. He's everything I have in this world, and you're the only man I know mean enough and skilled enough to keep him safe."

Calvin drew himself up and nodded. "Sugar, you have my word. Ain't no one gonna lay a finger on that baby without going through me first."

Severus smirked a little at the memory and shrugged. "I can confidently say, I don't think we could have found a more dedicated body guard."

"Lord, no." Veronica shook her head. She eyed the stairs and bit her cheek from the inside. "Sirius. Have you spoken to Harry yet?"

"Not yet." Sirius shook his head. "I will after the meeting."

"Which I would like to get on track, if you all don't mind!" Mad eye snapped at them. "First, let's go over what we know. Snape, any new intel?"

Severus sat up and nodded. "The Dark Lord is trying to rally an army, not just witches and wizards either. He's sent representatives to the Vampires, the Werewolves, and the Giants. He might have some luck with the Werewolves, since he's already got Greyback on his side. But I think we'll have more sway with the Giants if we recruit Hagrid into talking to them."

"And the Vampires?"

"No response." Severus shook his head. "The last time there was a war, they remained neutral. It cost them afterwards when the Ministry started tightening their restrictions over the population. If you ask me, we should talk to them as an entity separate from the Ministry, otherwise they might just fall in with Voldemort out of spite."

"You really think they would?" Remus pressed. "Surely they have some since of morality."

"They do, but let's be candid, Remus," Severus eyed him. "The Ministry hasn't exactly been fair to them when if comes to the Law. You of all should understand that with the Werewolf codes."

"True, but I'm here with you lot and I've never considered joining the Dark Lord." Remus pointed out. "I just feel like you don't give them enough credit."

"Not every Werewolf and Vampire had Albus Dumbledore to mollycoddle them from age 11 to 21" Severus remarked pointedly, and Remus turned his head after if to shoot back until Dumbledore intervened.

"Regardless, I will send representatives of our own to the Vampires and Giants in an attempt to sway them in our favor." The Headmaster declared firmly.

"And what of the werewolves?" Remus asked and Dumbledore sighed, knowing he would not be able to continue without appeasing Lupin.

"Why do you go, Remus." He said plainly. "if they listen to anyone in this room, it would be you."

Remus went quite but nodded, accepting the task almost reluctantly. He had never been welcomed in werewolf circles, and Dumbledore knew that. But he would do his best all the same.

"And for the Vampires?" Moody scribbled all of this down and Albus thought. "Any volunteers?"

"I'll go." Veronica spoke up. "We just need them to not fight, right? That shouldn't be too hard if they did it the first time around."

"Very well" Albus nodded. "Veronica will address the Vampires."

"I'll go to." Tonks raised her hand. "Two heads are better than one, right?"

"But you're an Auror, and the Vampires have a foul view of the Ministry already." Veronica pointed out. "I'm fine to go on my own, but anyone else who wants to come should be unaffiliated with the ministry."

Moody thought on this before shaking his head. "One person is plenty for a job like this. I don't expect it to get nasty."

Veronica nodded. "Alright."

"So that's Remus to the Werewolves, Veronica to the Vampires, and Hagrid to the Giants if we can get him." Moody wrote all of this down.

"That leads us into out never order of business. Harry Potter and his Link with the Dark Lord. For those of you who are unaware, it was recently discovered that Potter and Voldemort have some kind of mental link that allows them to see into each other's minds. We do not know how aware the Dark Lord is of this, but he was able to use it locate Miss Veronica here. And Harry was able to use it to witness the attack of Arthur Weasley in the Ministry a few nights ago. We are currently working to get this possible liability under control, but until then, no one is to discuss official business with the boy. Not even in passing."

The Auror eyed Sirius specifically with this one. "Verbal or otherwise."

"Sirius's misstep was a complete accident, I am quite certain." Albus defended his lightly and Sirius nodded, the knot of guilt still tight in his stomach.

"Of course, it was." Sirius nodded. "And it won't happen again."

"See that it doesn't." Moody sniffed. "Snape, I understand you're teaching the boy Occlumency, how's that going?"

Severus wince and folded his hands. "I want to say it's too early to tell. But at this time, I'm afraid the boy is not disciplined enough to effectively pick up on it."

"Well that's what you're for, aren't you?" Lupin reminded his and Severus glared at him heatedly.

"Yes, but there is only so much I can do, Lupin. This isn't charms or potions where you can see the progress with your own eyes, or someone can show you how it's done. The student must learn on his own, I'm just there to cast the spell and urge him to keep focused."

"Let's put aside our demands for a second." Albus butted in. "Severus, what do you believe are the boy's greatest obstacles when it comes to learning Occlumency?"

Severus took a breath, preparing himself for a barrage of protests and defensive comments from the group.

"To be frank. I think he's too emotional." Severus began. "He's too caught up in the feelings the invasion prompts to clear his mind and focus."

"Well who could blame him for being emotional after everything he's seen?" Tonks defended the absent boy. "The poor kid's been through hell!"

"I'm not saying it as an attack on Potter's character, I'm just answering the question." Severus snapped at her. "You wanted to know why I don't think he'll get far, it's because he's unable to detach himself from the experiences."

"Perhaps if you started him off a little easier." Sirius suggested. "And build from there?"

Severus wanted to bark at the man for his suggestion, but he held it back and took a breath. "Normally, that's what I would likely do. But this isn't a normal situation. Occlumency takes years of training to even be an considered an amateur, Potter doesn't have years. If he's lucky, he's got a few more weeks."

"Maybe there is another way." Veronica spoke up and Severus glanced at her. "Don't you remember that night I choked Bellatrix? You tried to get in my head, but I kept you out. I've never had an Occlumency lesson in my life."

"I can't explain that." Severus shook his head. "You did a lot of things that night that you ordinarily couldn't do. It was probably the stress of losing your family that cause it."

"But maybe not." Veronica shrugged. "Maybe instead of having Potter have no emotions to detach himself, we find a way for him to use the stress and energy he has to block you out?"

Severus thought on this. It was against everything he had ever read, or ever experienced. But all the same he was still unable to explain how Veronica had deflected him that night.

"The key is still detachment." He nodded. "If Potter can find a way to achieve without suppressing his emotions, fair play to him."

"Before attempting such experiments on the boy, I suggest a few trial runs." Albus mused. "Veronica, you did it once, and it was your idea. Care to throw your hat in the ring?"

Veronica smirked and glanced up at Severus. "I'm game. How about it, Severus?"

Severus was unsure, but all the same he nodded.

"Very well." He agreed, "I hope you know what you're getting into."


	18. The Vampires

**Thank you to Lurking Pheonix for the review! I hadn't gotten any reviews these past few chapters, I figured ya'll had gotten tired of me and stopped reading. **

Vampires were an elusive lot.

Being extraordinarily long lives, they tended to keep to themselves after turning and lived in large groups. Often, they communed in abandoned castles, networks of caverns, and other secluded locations that often went undisclosed.

Each commune had a representative that reported to the Ministry, and it was with one of those representative Veronica would be meeting with at dusk in Paris.

She had agreed to cross national lines in order to speak, not sure what the motivation was but figuring that any amount of security she could give would increase her chance of success. The Paris streets were bustling, and she stuck close to a tour group of muggles that formed a crude line outside the Paris Catacombs. Scalpers offered her tickets, but she waved them off and kept her eyes trained on the entrance as she moved with the group on the tale of a young tour guide.

She had been told that her contact would be in the group as well and told her to wear a bright red shirt and an equally vibrant blue skirt so that he could spot her in the crowd.

She assumed that he would approach her, but so far, she had only been acknowledged by the ticket taker and the scalpers on the street.

The catacombs were breathtaking. Not because they were beautiful, but because of how nightmarish its beauty was. The walls seemed to be made of bones; skulls, femurs, even whole skeletons still complete and staring with eyeless orbits as the group passes. Most of the bones were simple stacked in rows and supported each other, but others were more elaborately placed for decoration.

Crosses made out of long bones, hearts and arches formed out of skulls. And in the sections where the bones were not stacked neatly, they were simply thrown into piles and left there haphazardly.

The route they were taking was a secure one, painstakingly made safe for tours by French authorities with most of the corridors and labyrinthine side exits blocked off to prevent troublemaking tourists and teenagers from getting too curious.

Veronica left a tap on her shoulder and she turned to find a tall young man in a tour guide's uniform standing behind her with a flashlight.

"Ma'am" He spoke in English at a low volume, "I'm afraid you're lost, I will take you to your destination."

Veronica blinked a moment before nodding and the young man winked before looking over the tour group that had already started moving along.

"Just follow my lead."

The man pressed himself against the bone wall and felt for a loose section of long bone.

Veronica winced when she watched him pull a long femur out of the wall and for a moment thought that the wall would come down on them. Instead the young man used the hole as a sort of handle and pulled hard. A large rectangular door growled open, grinding against the wood floor and he motioned into the wall quickly.

"Before someone sees" He whispered, pulling the door shut as he entered after her and engulfed the in darkness.

Veronica felt around her and pulled out her wand. "Lumos"

She nearly screamed when she found herself face to face with a skull, but her guide covered her mouth sharply.

"This way" He whispered. "stay close to me, Desmond would not be happy if I lost you in the catacombs."

Veronica nearly clung to him as she used her wand to light the way. The hidden corridor was dreadfully narrow, almost too narrow for Veronica, slim as she was, to get through. She couldn't imagine how her guide was able to do it. He was a man with a healthy amont of bulk on him, but the walls seemed to part for him as she went forward.

Past him, Veronica could see a dim light approaching them and she focused on that until the walls gave was to a large hidden room that was lit with several tapered candles.

"Are you the one the British Ministry sent?" A heavy voice asked, and Veronica blinked around her, letting her eyes adjust to the dimness. She extinguished her wand and laid eyes on a well-dressed man in long red coat and black trousers.

"Not the Ministry." Veronica corrected him. "I come on behalf od Albus Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix."

"The Order of the Phoenix, that is a Ministry organization." The voice insisted and Veronica shook her head once more.

"Not any more, they are not aware that it has regrouped."

"I see." The man looked her up and down and turned to her guide. "You may return to the others."

"Yes Desmond." The man nodded and slipped back through the hall, which was now little more than a crack in the wall.

"I haven't introduced myself." He offered his hand and a smile, " I am Desmond Dryphis. Representative of the Eastern Vampires. You are?"

"Veronica Largo." She shook his hand and smiled in return.

"Auror?"

"No." Veronica smiled a little. "A Volunteer."

Desmond nodded understandingly before turning slightly with his arm out.

"Please." He smiled, "Sit, let us talk."

Veronica nodded and sat in the chair across from the one her host had resided in and with a wiggle of his finger, Desmond beckoned a table to slide across the floor to them.

"I understand that you might not be in the mood for my….particular beverage of choice." He staid slowly. "But might I offer you some coffee? Tea maybe?"

"Thank you, that's very kind." Veronica nodded and watched at the slender silver tea pot rose on its own and began to pour out as Desmond took up his own tea cup containing a dark liquid.

"Now, I do dislike dillydallying, so I hope you do mind if we get down to business."

"Certainly." Veronica agreed. "We understand that Lord Voldemort has been in contact with at least one of your representatives recently."

"That is correct." Desmond nodded, taking a drink slowly. "The Western Representative, Lorelei, and I have had audiences with Deatheaters in the past month."

"I have been sent by the order to find out which way your favor leans." Veronica folded her hands. "I understand, due to the unfair treatment vampires received after the last War, that some might find themselves more sympathetic to the Deatheater cause."

Desmond didn't respond right away but listened carefully.

"Perhaps." He agreed.

"The Order does contain members that hold authority in the Ministry." Veronica pressed. "If you can assure vampire neutrality in future, then I can press those members to reconsider several of the restrictions put on Vampires in the UK."

Desmond thought about this and eyed her carefully. "And neutrality is all that you ask. Not allegiance, not arms or protection?"

"No." Veronica shook her head. "Only your oath, and the oath of other representatives, that no vampires in your ranks will join up with Lord Voldemort and his Deatheaters."

"I see." Desmond thought. "I will bring this before my fellow representatives, and we will see how they take this. From the way you speak, it does not sound like change for my kind is guaranteed…"

"You have my vow." Veronica persisted. "That should you keep to these terms, I will do all that is within my power to repay the debt."

Desmond took another drink before leaning towards her. "You know, a vow to a vampire is a dangerous thing. We have plenty of time to hold grudges."

Veronica swallowed by refused to be intimidated. "I swear, you will have no cause for grudge."

Desmond leaned back and stood sharping, watching Veronica scramble to react to his speed. He offered her his hand and She took it slowly.

"Then we have a deal, you will be hearing from me soon with the others' answers." He shook her hand firmly before whistling sharply.

A young man stood in the corner as if he had appeared in thin air.

"Tak, take our guest back to the surface, if you please."

"Yes Desmond." The dark-skinned man motioned for Veronica to take his arm. She did so hesitantly and squealed when he picked her up bridal style and within a few seconds they were back on the street in front of the catacombs.

"Au Revior " He nodded to her with a knowing smile. "I will be seeing you soon with our answer."

Veronica stayed the night at Madame Maxime's home before returning to England in the morning. The bed was large and ornate, and above her was a small crystal chandelier which twinkled in the light of the moon which shone through the large window.

Veronica stared at it for a while and felt very lonely for a moment, and wished she had someone by her side. She wondered how Valerian was doing without her, and for a moment she folded her hand over her heart to stop the aching when she thought of how he must be crying because she was not there.

He was too young to understand, but one day, she thought to herself, one day he would understand why she had to leave him.

And on that day maybe she would stop feeling so dreadfully guilty.


	19. Old Times

"You're pulling your punches." Veronica accused heatedly.

She had been down in the Hogwarts dungeons for hours now, the room fully soundproofed as she and Severus tested her theory of other means to use Occlumency.

Severus came at her, but each time she found it too easy to back him out of her mind like a fly, and he always pulled out willingly.

"I am not." Severus protested. "Maybe you just…I don't know, maybe it comes naturally to you."

"Liar." Veronica spat, standing up and marching up to him. "Don't you lie to me Severus; you and I both know that you aren't going near as hard as you would be with Potter."

"Maybe I'm just tired then."

Veronica glared at him silently and he looked away. "For God's sake, if one of your students is inept at potions, do you rearrange the curriculum, so they appear smarter, or do you actually encourage them to improve?"

"What do you want me to do?"

"I want you to hit me with everything you've got." Veronica growled, thrusting his wand back into his hand and taking a few steps back. "I don't know why you're being like this, if you didn't want to test the idea you should have just said no."

Severus shrugged and waited for her to brace her feet before pointing his wand at her. "Legilimens"

Veronica had expected him to come at her as she had requested, but she was wrong. Instead, he once again hit her with what must have been the weakest bolt of magic he could muster. But all the same she threw it back at him as if it were his strongest blast. She hadn't meant to but having braced herself for the real thing she sent the magic back to him with such force that it knocked both of them back.

It was all a blur. Severus didn't even have time to blink before she was in his head, and Veronica was too dazed to realize what was happening until she heard her own voice in her ears.

She turned a found herself in a hazy scene, standing off to the side and watching as if she were a ghost.

_"Honestly you two, you're looking at me like I'm made of glass...!"_

She turned and saw herself for a moment sitting between Lockhart and Severus three years prior.

_"__It's just that you're a little delicate looking." _

The scene faded and a new one reappeared at a rapid pace.

_"__"Shut up, let me finish" _She heard Severus's voice now. It was angry, but a familiar sort of anger. The kind that was mix with worry. He was sitting on the edge of a hospital cot and shaking her.

_"What the hell were you thinking going down there with two students and __Lockhart_ _of all people?! You couldn't have __died__! Do you understand that?"_

_"She is too soft hearted."_ This time she heard the low hiss of the Dark Lord in her ear, sending a shiver up her spine_. _The scene shifted again, and she saw Severus walking side by side with the dark wizard, discussing her in critical tones.

_"She wouldn't have the backbone to do what needs to be done if I asked her to."_

A scream filled her mind as she covered her ears and screwed her eyes shut until the scene shifted and she stared slack-jawed at her own form. She was on the ground under the full moon, kneeling as she clung to the side of her face in agony.

For once, Veronica looked at Severus and realized the utter terror etched across every inch of his face as he pushed the children away from her and pulled her up. She had never realized how afraid he must have been when she was attacked. From the way he had spoken to her, she would have never known that he was pale as a sheet and nearly trembling as he managed to pull her together and get her to take the children back to the castle.

Before she could process the scene, it shifted once more. They were in the cabin, and Veronica was heaving on a bed with a swollen stomach. Severus was behind her, supporting her shoulders as she grabbed at his hand and moaned in agony.

_"Severus?" _

_"Yes honey?"_ He kissed her brow softly and let her lean into his chest.

_"I'm scared."_

Severus nodded and sat on the bed next to her_. "I know you are. But that's okay, because I'm here to keep you safe, remember?"_

_I'm here to keep you safe. _

"Enough."

Veronica stumbled, her lower back colliding with a desk and she yelped in pain as Severus leaned on his desk and rubbed his face.

"You weren't supposed to see any of that." He hissed, not looking at her.

"I didn't mean to." Veronica defended herself, staring at him in surprise. "Severus…"

"Don't."

"I-"

"I said don't."

"Let me finish!" Veronica snapped at him before softening. "After all this time, is that still how you see me?"

Severus shuffled with discomfort. He didn't know what he could possibly say for himself. "not always."

"but enough." Veronica added. "Severus I'm not afraid of what we're doing."

"I know!" Severus winced, finally looking at her. "And that's why I'm so terrified for you. You always put yourself in danger! And I don't always know if I will always be able to save you!"

"You don't have to save me Severus!" Veronica run up to him, but he backed away, not willing to be touched.

"Yes, I do!" Severus rejected.

"Why?" Veronica frowned. "Why do you have to save me? Do you think I'm weak?"

"No!" He turned from her, trying to walk away from the conversation, but Veronica was not having it. She followed him closely and drilling him with relentless accusations.

"Then what?! Am I weak, am I stupid, can I not take care of myself?!"

"I never said that!"

"You never had to!" Veronica shouted and Severus froze. Her eyes burned holes into his back as she fumed. "Why can't you just trust me? I am not being forced into this, I wouldn't be here if I didn't know if I was capable."

Severus didn't respond and she rounded him again, but he still turned to avoid her gaze.

"Look at me." She growled, standing firm. "Severus Snape, you look at me."

Severus hesitated a moment before complying and turning to look at her with sad, tired eyes. She glared up at him defiantly.

"Why can't you respect me enough as an equal to trust that I know what I am doing?"

Severus stared at her for a moment, unsure what to say before realizing she would accept nothing but the full truth.

"Because I don't know if _you _know what you're doing." Severus confessed.

Veronica heard this with a passive expression, conveying no anger or malice. She approached him with a pleading look in her eye as she looked up at him.

"Could you at least try?" She pressed him. "If you respect me, not just as a witch, but as a friend and the mother of your child, then you could at least attempt to believe in me."

Severus took a deep breath and nodded. "Fine. But I don't want you to pout or throw a fit if you can't keep up."

Veronica scoffed offendedly. "Just cast the stupid spell, you ass, and don't you worry about my feelings."

The spells did come harder this time, and Severus was impressed to find that even if she was easily knocked back the first hundred times, she never stopped getting back up.

By the end of the night, she couldn't block him fully, but she could throw him out within a few seconds.

"You were right." Veronica conceded. "Maybe emotional detachment is the only way."

"Well" Severus sat next to her. "Usually I'd love to say I told you so, but this time I'm a little disappointed."

"Why?"

"Because that means Potter's skills may not improve as we need them." Severus grumbled. "And that is not good."

"All the same" She turned to him. "You'll keep trying to teach him."

Severus eyed her and smirked. "I'm getting my marching orders from you now?"

"Seriously, Severus." She pressed. "The boy needs help."

"I'll try my best." Severus yawned. "If he progressed at the rate you have, I wouldn't be so worried."

"Have I really done well?" Veronica smiled coyly and Severus scoffed.

"Yes, you've improved immensely. What do you want, a gold star?" He shot her down sharply. "Revel in your accomplishment"

"Ick." Veronica pulled a face. "You need to go to bed, you're turning into a git."

"Well who was it that kept me up all night?" Severus reminded her pointedly and Veronica shoved him gently.

"OOoh, Poor Severus had to stay up with his very attractive girlfriend all night. I feel so bad for him, what a tragedy." She teased and Severus rolled his eyes.

"If I kill a student today, it's your fault."

"Hey."

"What?"

"Go to bed."

"Make me."

Veronica laughed and leaned on him. "We should both try to get some sleep. We're acting like a couple of children."

"The bed still fits two, if you're interested." Severus offered and Veronica shrugged.

"As long as we don't get you fired." She agreed, following him into the familiar bedroom.

He didn't bother to do more than kick off his shoes and belt before nearly falling on the bed. Veronica climbed on top of him with a giggled and snuggled into the back of his neck.

"You're going to smother me." He grumbled and Veronica chuckled playfully. He rolled over, taking her with him and instead trapped her under him.

He kissed her firmly and she smiled into it before kissing him back.

"Severus." She called his attention as his kisses moved down and he didn't bother to look up at her.

"Huh?"

"Please don't get me pregnant again." She laughed and Severus scoffed before pulling off of her and laying down.

"Too tired for that sort of thing." He assured her. "Come'ere."

Veronica grinned and curled into him before thinking. "Severus."

"Yeah?"

"Did you know your accent comes out when you're tired?" She smiled, picking up on the scant traces of his forgone Manchester accent. The one he had tried so hard and succeeded in replacing with the posher sounding received pronunciation. She didn't understand why he had dropped it, it wasn't terribly hard to understand.

He once told her that it had been Lucius Malfoy's idea to drop it, and he had agreed so he would stop sounding like his father.

"Does not."

"Does so." She insisted. "I remember when you wouldn't even tell me where you were from because you were embarrassed."

"I wasn't embarrassed, and it doesn't come out, so drop it."

"Does so, watch." She rolled on top of him and straddled his hips. "Say Water."

Severus frowned and attempted to push her off, but she laughed and stayed put. "Come on, say it. Say Water." She put extra emphasis on the middle T, knowing he would end up dropping it in his sleep deprived state.

"No."

"Please?"

"You're being a brat." He grumbled and Veronica whined before getting off and laying back down.

"Spoil sport."

"Go to sleep, you're being a child." Severus yawned. "Now do you want to sleep with me, or are you going to pout on the other side of the bed."

Veronica smirked a little, still catching the accent even if he refused to admit it and crawling in next to him.

"Good Night."


	20. Battle Plan

It seemed that Hagrid had a good deal of success with the Giants, and he returned to Dumbledore after a month with the news that the Giants had no intentions on aiding the Dark Lord.

Remus, on the other hand, was not so lucky.

Veronica was sitting in the parlor of Grimmauld Place with Sirius when the floo blazed up and Remus's ragged form collapsed out of the flames.

"Remus!" Sirius was the first up and at his friend's side as Veronica stood over them and called for Kreature.

"Bring me hot water and clean rags Kreature." She requested, and the house elf sneered at her before she all but knelt down to his level to look him dead in the eye. She didn't need to speak another word before the grumpy elf obeyed and fetched bandages and first aid supplies for the werewolf.

"What happened, my friend?" Sirius leaned Remus against the bottom of the couch. The wizard was covered in gashes and bruises that would surely scar.

"The werewolves," Remus grunted, pushing himself up against the back of the couch and wincing. "They didn't take to the offer."

"So, they jumped you?" Veronica gasped. "That's terrible."

"Not all of them." Remus shook his head. "Just Greyback, him and two of his pack."

"That monster," Veronica growled. Kreature trudged up to her with a stack of ill rolled bandages and a large bowl of hot water. She took them from him with a light thank you and dismissed the house elf firmly.

Kreature rarely listened to Sirius, and at first, he did not mind Veronica at all. But after the first few days of Veronica's residence in Grimmauld Place, she had gotten tired of his disrespect and treated him with cold authority. It was only then that Kreature began to listen to her.

Veronica didn't like speaking to the house-elf so harshly, but Kreature was so grating and frustrating to be around that she almost couldn't help but treat him as if he were a fly in a small room.

Then again, she thought, that was probably what he was used too from the Black family, so it was the only way to get him to mind her.

Sirius helped Remus hoist himself up and onto the couch where Veronica helped him peel off his shirt and trousers.

"I need more light, Sirius, could you?"

"Sure thing." His quickly lit more candles but made the mistake of passing by a large covered portrait in the hall.

"FILTHY HALFBREED BLOOD STAINING MY FURNITURE." A shrill voice shrieked, "MY OWN SON BRINGING MANGY VERMIN INTO MY OWN HOME"

"I will light you on fire if you don't shut the bloody hell up, you daft harpy!" Veronica yelled back. Sirius banged on the portrait to shut his mother up and returned with more lighting.

Veronica began to pick fabric out of Remus's wounds so they wouldn't fester before dampening a cloth in alcohol and eyeing him. "Want to bite on something?"

"No." Remus shook his head. "I can take it."

Veronica rolled her eyes at the apparent bravado of the sentiment but all the same began to clean Remus's wounds with the rags as gently as she could while still making sure the gashes didn't become infected.

"Someone should have gone with you." Sirius shook his head, but Remus grunted.

"No." He rejected the idea. "That would have made it worse, and I wouldn't take the risk of someone else getting attacked."

"We should let Dumbledore know." Veronica began to wrap the bandages around the wounds carefully.

"I'll send an owl to Hogwarts."

"That won't do any good now."

The trio jumped and whipped out their wands to find Kingsley Shacklebolt standing in the doorway of the house.

"Bloody hell, man." Sirius breathed. "That's a good way to get yourself killed."

"Why won't it do any good?" Remus asked, leaning over with his arm in the air so Veronica could bandage the wide gash on his rib cage.

"Dumbledore is not at Hogwarts anymore," Kingsley informed them, entering with authority. "Something happened at the school, and Dumbledore is now on the run."

"Albus Dumbledore on the run?" Sirius spat. "This is disgraceful. What are you lot doing up there in the Ministry?"

"Don't blame this on me" Kingsley warned him. "This was more the work of your Godson than anything."

"What do you mean?"

"The boy took it upon himself to form some kind of underground organization for the students, teaching them dueling and things like that," Kingsley explained. "Called in Dumbledore's Army. Delores Umbridge got wind of it from one of the students who snitched on the group. The Minister decided to try and arrest Dumbledore for conspiracy and sedition."

"Did he?!"

"No" Kingsley sighed. "Dumbledore managed to escape before he could."

"Well, where is he now?" Veronica asked, standing up fully.

"I have no clue." Kingsley shrugged. "He'll pop back up at some point I imagine. Until then, we'll have to work among ourselves to get things done."

"We should call a meeting then." Sirius insisted. "Get everyone together and make sure we'll all on the same page before we do anything else."

"I agree with Sirius." Remus nodded, pulling back on his torn and dirty shirt. "Dumbledore was our constant. Without him, we need to regroup and lay it all out."

"What about the students?" Veronica added. "What will happen to them?"

"That's out of my jurisdiction." Kingsley shrugged. "Fudge has appointed Delores Umbridge as the new Headmistress of Hogwarts and given her full control."

"Umbridge. Why do I know that name?" Veronica blinked. "It sounds so familiar."

"You used to work in the Ministry, didn't you?"

"A long time ago, yes." Veronica nodded. "I was a clerk."

"You might have heard it around there," Kingsley explained. "She was Under Secretary to the Minister for over a decade. I'd say more, but I'm not one to speak ill of people."

"Do you think we have anything to worry about? With Harry or the others?"

"I don't think so." Kingsley shook his head. "After all, we still have Snape in the castle."

Sirius scoffed softly and Veronica cast him a scathing look before sighing. "I guess all we can do now is regroup and find out what to do now."

They send out the alerts to all order members, and by nightfall, they had all arrived, save Severus who had to remain in the castle.

"Dumbledore has gone rogue." Moody began. "We don't know where he is, and we haven't heard a word from him since he left Hogwarts castle this afternoon."

"In his stead." Kingsley continued, "We've decided to hold a vote for a temporary leader who will act as our center point until Dumbledore returns. Any volunteers?"

Very few hands raised. Moody, Kingsley, and Sirius ended up being the candidates.

"Alright, all those in favor of Alastor Moody?"

About five hands were raised and Moody nodded slowly. "Kingsley Shacklebolt?"

Veronica raised her hand for Kingsley, and so did Remus.

"Sirius Black?"

No hands were raised, and Sirius crossed his hands slightly but all the same, forced a good-natured smile and shrug.

"Oh well, there's always next War." He joked and Remus patted his shoulder.

Sirius hadn't expected to win but was disappointed not a single hand was raised for him. Perhaps if he'd been even considered then he could feel like he was making an actual difference, instead of just hiding away in a musty old house.

Kingsley accepted his role gracefully and immediately began to take stock of everyone's news. Soon they had a carefully laid out playing field that everyone understood. Veronica and Sirius would stay at Grimmauld place, Veronica willingly agreed to do whatever she could to help as well as keep in touch with Severus.

Remus would keep his ear to the ground in the streets, particularly Knockturn Alley.

Tonks, Moody, and the other Aurors would work within the Ministry to keep any damage Fudge might cause in his spaztic denial to a minimum.

And Kingsley would do his best to try and track down Dumbledore.

It seemed, for once, everything was coming together.


	21. Keeping Busy

**A Big thank you for my new reader Jezabelle31415926 for the lovely review they sent me, it really means a lot, and another thank you to my friend Ashnd91. **

The weeks came with little change, and Veronica continued to stay with Sirius in Grimmuld Place, waiting for instruction.

She took on most of the house duties to keep herself busy, but also because she figured out Sirius wouldn't do them himself. He was too busy moping about like a ghost. He was ill tempered and easily frustrated most of the time, either anxious from the lack of information they were getting, or from cabin fever.

It was most likely both.

He had made up his mother's old room for her, chuckling darkly when he mentioned what kind of conniption Mrs. Black would have had if she knew. Being in the house brought a sort of darkness around Sirius, and one day Veronica grew brave enough to ask him about it.

"I hate this house." He confessed. "I fought every day until I was 16 years old to get out of this place, and now I'm trapped again."

Veronica sat on his bed next to him. "I'm sorry Sirius. I wish there was something I could do."

"That's the thing, there's really nothing to do!" Sirius grunted. "We have to make it look like this place is abandoned. We're little more than ghosts at the moment."

Veronica frowned but didn't know what to say. He was right.

Christ, she couldn't even call her own family to check in on her son.

But she couldn't bring that up now.

"I always heard stories about your family when I worked in the ministry." She confessed to him. "I didn't know how much was true."

"All of it." Sirius said without hesitation. "All of it was true. Nothing you heard could be worse than the things my family has done."

"Sirius?"

"Yes?"

"Is there anything you want to talk about?" She asked. "I hear you talking in your sleep at night and crying. Maybe talking about it would help."

Sirius pulled in his lips and looked away. "They're just nightmares, they aren't real."

"All the same." Veronica sniffed, "it obviously bothers you."

Sirius remained silent a moment before leaned against the wall and looking at her.

"Every time I close my eyes," he confessed, "I'm right back in that prison cell."

Veronica sat back and listened closely, staring at him to let him know she was all ears.

"It feels so real, like this world is the dream and that one is real life." He went on, his eyes growing further away as he thought about it. "And I think of everyone I've lost; my friends, my freedom, hell even my own brother. And I just feel so helpless because I can't bring them back."

Veronica put her hand on his shoulder hesitantly, then reached around him when he leaned into it. She scratched his scalp gently as she sighed and thought on this.

"It's only for now." She whispered. "This is the hard part I suppose. Not the losses we've had, but the process we need to take to make things better, when all we want to do is charge in head first and give them everything we've pent up inside of us."

Sirius looked at her and offered a weak smile. "I haven't talked to someone like this is over a decade."

"Well then I suppose it's a bit overdue." She smiled back.

"I'm sorry if I wake you at night."

"You don't" She shook her head. "I'm already up when I hear you."

"In the middle of the night?" Sirius frowned. "Why?"

Veronica looked away and pulled her hand away from his head, "No Reason."

"Bull" He cut her off. "Come on, I just spilled my guts. It's your turn now."

Veronica sighed and looked up at him. "I keep thinking I hear him crying."

"Who?"

"Valerian." Veronica swallowed, her face growing hot. She wouldn't cry this time, she told herself, she could be strong. "I guess I'm so used to getting up in the middle of the night to sooth him that it's habit by now. Even if he's not here, I always wake up swearing that I can here him crying for me."

Sirius's face fell as he swallowed and pulled her into a hug gently. "I can't imagine how hard it must be for you."

Veronica sniffed, fighting back tears and sighed. "I keep telling myself that if I'm not away from him now, then I'm forsaking the best future he could have. And he deserves better than all of this."

"We all do." Sirius agreed. "And I'm sure he will understand. He probably won't even remember all of this by the time things are put right."

"Still" Veronica nodded, "I feel so guilty. He's just a baby, he doesn't understand why his mummy isn't there anymore. I wish I could explain it to him, but I can't and-" She cut off, unable to end the sentence properly because he had no words to explain how she felt.

Sirius leaned into her shoulder, his head under her chin. The warmth of her neck and shoulder made him realize how much he had missed human contact in these thirteen years. The rhythm of her fingers in his hair was soothing beyond words. He leaned into her deeper and Veronica grunted before repositioning herself more comfortably.

"It's like you said." He assured her. "This is the worst of it, and once it's over we'll all be able to move on from this like it never even happened."

Veronica nodded and hugged him tighter. They sat that way on the bed for a long time, neither one bothering to look at the clock until they separated, feeling almost refreshed.

"I'm going to go make dinner." She patted his shoulder. "You should try and rest."

She climbed down the stairs, feeling for the wand in her pocket.

There was once a time, not very long ago, when Veronica would hardly ever use her wand. She never felt a real need for it, unless it was required. But these days, it hardly ever left her side. In her pocket, in her hair, and at night under her pillow with one hand gripping it. She and Sirius had taken to refreshing their dueling skills by sparring with each other, keeping their stance firm and their movements quick incase the worst should happen.

Sirius had to work to overcome the difficulty of using a stranger's wand, plus the fact that he had been out of practice for twelve years. They cleared out the large dining room, with Kreature's reluctant help, and soon they were spending hours at a time just training until they exhausted themselves.

And, to Veronica's delight, Sirius never too it easy on her. He didn't fight to seriously injure her, but he didn't pull any punches when she asked him to give her everything he had. They gave each other bruises and cuts and welts that sometimes they would heal with magic, and others they would let turn yellow and purple with age until they disappeared.

Sirius also decided to teach Veronica a skill that had been passed through his family for generations.

"Now these are throwing knives, so they're made for you to throw them by the handle." He stood nearly flush to her back, pulling her into the proper stance. "But if you have to do this on the fly, you'll probably be using a heavy handled knife, so you'll have to throw it by the blade instead."

"Is that safe?"

"It is if you don't know how to hold it properly. You want to keep your thumb firm on the blade but not enough pressure to mess with your accuracy."

He held her hand and placed it on the knife precisely before stepping away.

"Remember, arm back, shoulders straight, like you're throwing a baseball."

She took a breath and followed the motion smoothly, letting out the breath she'd been holding when the point of the knife hit the wall and hung there.

"Bravo!" Sirius laughed and clapped for her, "if writing doesn't work out, we'll sell you to the circus!"

They didn't talk about subject they knew might cause a fight. Which meant No Politics, No Religion, and No Severus Snape.

Veronica found it very natural to be away from Severus, and yet still be connected to him. He didn't have to be within her sight for her to feel close to him.

Severus, on the other hand, was the utter opposite. He'd linger after Order meetings to talk with her, or even pop in from time to time on the weekends to say hello.

It annoyed the hell out of Sirius, but soon he learned to simply leave the room when the uninvited guest showed up.

However, Severus's paranoia still lingered.

"He hasn't…?" He pressed, eyeing the door Black walked out of. "You know."

"Severus!" Veronica hissed indignantly. "You said you trusted me!"

"I do trust you!" Severus soothed her quietly. "It's the hound dog I don't trust."

"Severus Snape." Veronica put her fists on her hips. "You _promised _me that you would going to lay off Sirius to keep things peaceful between us all."

"I didn't call him out to his face, did I?" Severus defended himself. "You can tell me, I won't freak out."

"_No_" Veronica growled. "he's been a perfect gentleman!"

The subject was promptly dropped.

Veronica entered the kitchen and began to prepare a simple meal of pork and broccoli. A large knife in her hand, she chopped the veggies before pausing.

"Kreature?" she called, "Is that you?"

No answer came, but she did hear heavy footsteps in the hall and with the knife in hand she kept towards the hall. The footsteps grow louder and faster, belonging to someone in a hurry and Veronica took several steps back and fearfully raised her knife until a blur of black passed her and she cried out.

"Veronica!"

She froze and blinked, Severus stood before her with a serious look in his eye.

"Severus!" She growled furiously, throwing the knife down. "Announce yourself before running in here like a bat! I could have killed you!"

"Thank God you're alright! Where's Black?"

"What?"

Severus grabbed her and shook her fiercely. "Is Black here! Where is he?"

"What's going on down here?" Sirius tramped down the stairs with his wand drawn before rolling his eyes. "Severus, for Christ's sake!"

"You're both here." Severus took a step back. "That's not good."

"You're not making any sense." Veronica leaned on the counter. "Where else are we supposed to be?"

"The department of mysteries." Severus breathed. "We need to call the Order together and get there _now. _Before Potter does something stupid!"

"Snape!" Sirius barked. "Merlin's Teeth, sit down and tell us what's going on! Where is Harry, is he in trouble?"

"Maybe not at the moment, but he likely will be." Severus took a breath. "That Dark Lord has discovered the link, and he's using it to lure Potter to the Department of Mysteries. I don't know why, but whatever it is it's not good."

Sirius drew his wand and nodded.

"Potter thinks the Dark Lord has you and Veronica held hostage there, I was going to go myself, but I knew I had to check here before I did something stupid." Severus nodded. "I'm glad I did."

"We'll get the Order together and get there as soon as we can." Sirius assured him.

"I have to get back to the School."

"You aren't coming?"

"I can't." Severus shook his head. "I can't blow my cover with the Deatheaters."

"You've done all you can, Severus." Veronica stepped forward, holding his face before kissing him and pushing him away. "Now go, maybe you'll get lucky and catch Potter before he does something rash."

Severus nodded and darted down the hall to the Floo once more and Sirius pulled on his coat before looking at Veronica.

"We said we wanted to make a difference, didn't we?" He growled. "Now's our chance."


	22. The Department of Mysteries

The rest of the Order couldn't arrive fast enough, but once Kingsley gave the go-ahead, they apparated to the ministry under cover of night. It was clear Severus hadn't been fast enough to stop the children before they escaped the castle, considering the small herd of thestrals waiting patiently outside the ministry. The sight would have been amusing, but there was no time for levity as they all drew their wands.

"Department of Mysteries" Kingsley grunted. "That's underground, the lowest floor."

"Some of us should stay out here," Veronica said. "In case any of them try to escape, maybe they can be recaptured."

"That's a good idea" Moody agreed, "Mundungus, you and I'll stay out here."

"Right." The small wizard nodded, his cowardly nature eagerly ready to accept this.

"Enough talking," Sirius growled, taking the lead. "Let's do this."

They were unable to aparate into the ministry building, but Kingsley knew short cuts and directed them the fast route to the deepest part of the towering structure.

The lower they went, the colder it got. Once they reached the impossibly large doors of the Department of Mysteries, the doors burst open and every Order member enters with their wands raised and at the ready. Veronica and Tonks stick to each other and Sirius pairs with Remus sharing their intent to cause some major damage.

The abrupt entrance stunned the Deatheaters, but not for long. They tossed aside whatever hostages they hand and turned their murderous intent on the Order.

Veronica recognized most of the faces, but three stood out.

Mulciber.

Malfoy.

And worst of all, Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Stick to me," Tonks ordered her. "I'll not see you in the Dark Lord's grasp again."

"Don't worry." Veronica dodged a bolt of magic that went over her shoulder. "I'm not to keen on the idea either."

"Get the Prophesy!" Kingsley bellowed.

Veronica gazed passed the chaos until her eyes found the golden glow of a large orb in the firm grasp of Lucius Malfoy. Malfoy kept the orb protected as he and Sirius went at it with almost an air of exhilaration.

"We need to get the kids out of here!" Tonks rushed forward and Veronica moved to follow her.

"Mrs. Snape." She heard a familiar voice that made her freeze and turned to find Mulciber behind her. "Your husband will be glad to know you live."

He drew his wand and fixed his stance. "I'm giving you the chance to come quietly. Severus and I are friends you know, I don't have to hurt you."

Veronica scoffed and steeled her nerves. "You'd have to do more than hurt me to make me come with you."

"Have it your way." He snarled and whipped his wand at her. "Confringo!"

"Aguemente!" Veronica countered and managed to douse the wall of blue flames that advanced on her with a jet of water. The resulting steam impeded their vision long enough for Veronica to around him and raise her wand again. "Flipendio!"

Mulciber was sent somersaulting across the floor and Veronica advanced upon him before he could regain his bearings. She snatched the thick wand from his hands and snapped it over her knee into fourths before tossing it aside.

She didn't want to really hurt him, even if he was a terrible man. She had lost her taste for true violence. Instead, she decided to leave him there, pinned to the foundation with an unbreakable jinx and no wand to undo it.

Returning to the real fight, Veronica spent most of her time dodging and repelling curses instead of casting them. She managed to reach most of the children and gathered them into a group.

"Stay right here!" She told them. "I have to get you out of here."

"We want to fight!" Neville protested and she cast him a look.

"You have been." She assured him, "But things are about to get more intense than you realize, and you don't need to be here."

"What about Harry?" Hermione Granger insisted.

Veronica looked over the group and found that Mr. Potter was missing. She turned and gazed over the fight before finding the boy in a two on one duel with Lucius Malfoy, backing Sirius as well as he could.

They were dangerously close to a veil; the significance of which Veronica knew not. Nor did she have the time to think on it before taking up her wand once more and pointing it at Lucius Malfoy.

"Accio Prophesy!" She yelled over the noise, and before the wizard could react the orb began to burn his palm and forcing him to release it. It flew like a sports ball into her waiting hand and she snatched it out of the air before glaring at Malfoy.

"Lucius!" She yelled, putting distance between her and the children. "This what you're looking for?"

Malfoy battled to look at her and defend himself in the duel before growling.

"Get her!" He pointed at her and Veronica felt a rush of adrenaline as every Deatheater eye turned to her.

"Veronica, run!" Lupin yelled.

She didn't need to be told twice and began to sprint out one of the doors before yelling back. "Get the kids out, now!"

She could feel them on her tail and found herself in a room of winding shelves that reached up to the ceiling. She could catch a glimpse of her attackers between the rows and kept herself low and fast. The room grew silent as a nightmarish game of hide and seek began to take place.

"Come out come out wherever you are." She heard Bellatrix's cloying tone fill the room. "We know you're in here little dove. You can't hide from us."

Drawing her wand, Veronica pointed it at herself.

"Disillusionment" She whispered and felt a tremor was over her. In an instant, she was almost indistinguishable from the rows around her, not invisible but a chameleon blending into her surroundings.

She stuffed the glowing orb into her cloak and stood perfectly still. The stiller she was, the better the charm worked, but the closer the Deatheaters drew, the hard it became.

One Deatheater, still masked, was so close he nearly touched her stomach and she was forced to suck in as he passed her.

Suddenly, Veronica had an idea. She waited for the Deatheater to pass before easing herself off the shelf and creeping up behind him.

"Immobulous." She breathed.

The Deatheater froze and she swallowed hard.

"Langlock" She glued his tongue to his cheek so he could not make a sound and took his wand from his hand.

After snapping it, she pulled him down to the ground as silently as she could and began to undress him, pulling off his billowing black cloak and wrapping it around herself. She paused a moment before removing his silver mask, then pulled it from his face to release a wide-eyed man with fat features and little hair. She didn't recognize this one.

Slipping the mask over her face, she pointed her wand at him "Stupify"

His eyes closed as unconsciousness washed over him.

"Disillusionment" She watched as he began to blend with the floor and allowed herself to sigh.

A light hit her at the noise, and she held her breath as one of the masked Deatheaters looked at her.

Half frozen, she shook her head as if to say there was nothing on interest around her and the light moved on as she held the prophecy close to her chest and began to move through the aisles as quietly as she could. The mask was hard to see through, but she could make out the exit in the dark and darkened the light from her wand so they would not notice her.

She feared the metal of the mask would glint in their lights but keeping her head down she felt along the wall until she felt hinges, then finally a doorknob. Turning the knob, she paused and looked back on the moving lights in the dark aisles, still search for her. She felt for her wand and pointed it at the doorknob.

"Colloportus Maxima" She whispered and closed the door behind her. Now, even if they heard her leave, they wouldn't be able to get out the way she left.

Letting out a breath of relief, Veronica removed the prophecy from her pocket and tried to make her way back to the entrance.

She found the way out and rushed out only to be knocked back to the floor as soon as she opened the door. With the wind knocked out of her all she could do was wheeze as a hoard on confusion overtook her. She distinctly felt fists battering her head and stomach as someone else forced the prophecy from her grasp.

"Take off the mask, let's see who we got!" She heard Moody growled and she gasped at the mask was forcibly ripped from her face.

"Oh shit!" Sirius dropped the mask. "It's Veronica!"

Veronica struggled to find words as she coughed from the blows to the stomach and struggled to get air back into her lungs.

"What? Oh no!" Remus blanched, "I thought."

"So did I!"

Veronica was hoisted to her feet as she finally managed to breathe properly and without pain before glaring at them.

"What the Hell?!"

"We thought you were a Deatheater!"

"Yeah, you were wearing the mask!"

"I stole it." Veronica coughed a final time before shaking her head. "Did we do it? It is done?"

Moody held the prophecy high to look at it in the moonlight. "Looks like it"

"Tonks and Mundungus got the kids back to the school with Dumbledore, a lot happened in there, but we'll fill you in on the gaps later."

Veronica dared to let out a sigh of relief until a blur of black and silver hit Moody's hand, making the wizard cry out and drop the orb. The glass shattered on the ground.

Moody howled in pain as they whipped around and found Bellatrix storming towards them. Moody pulled a knife from his palm and turned.

"Retreat!" He called. "It's not worth it now."

Sirius grabbed Veronica and began to apparate but let out a cry on pain as a bolt of agony shot through his back.

They landed in Grimmauld Place and the first thing they heard was Sirius wail in pain. Veronica felt wet blood on her arm and turned to find a long, deep gasp across Sirius's back. He had been pierced by a knife on his way out, and the apparition had splinched him, making it even worse.

"Christ!" Remus paled. "He's bleeding out!"

"Get him flat, now." Severus had been waiting for them. "Hold him still."

"Can you do anything?"

"I can try." Severus swallowed, unnerved by the sheer amount of blood gushing from the back wound. "I don't have any potions to close the wound, but I can stop the bleeding."

Veronica and Remus held Sirius still on his belly as Severus tore away at the back of his shirt to clear the wound. He pressed his wand to the gash and swallowed. "Coagulate" He muttered, and Sirius's wails softened as the blooding stopped and dried up, but the gash remained open.

"We'll have to get him to St. Mungo's." Veronica breathed. "It's a magical wound, we don't have the means to seal it."

"We can't, he's still wanted." Remus shook his head.

"Then what can we do?"

Severus paused and hesitated to suggest what had come to his mind. "There is always…the old-fashioned way, I suppose."

Veronica pales. "Are you mad?"

"I'm just putting ideas out there." He defended. "Even before that, we have to get the knife out."

Sirius whined loudly and Severus rolled his eyes before pointing his wand to the back of the wizard's head. "Stupefy."

Sirius blacked out in an instant and the three looked at each other.

"Where's the rest of the Order?" Severus looked around. "Weren't they with you?"

"I would have thought they'd come here." Remus breathed. "Maybe they went to Hogwarts. Dumbledore returned during the battle."

"Of course, he did" Severus sighed. "If you two can stay here with him. I will see if I have something in my stores to close the wound."

"We can do that." Veronica nodded. "Just, please, be quick about it."

Severus nodded and made for the floo, leaving them alone with an unconscious Black


	23. Aftermath

"Christ, what's going on with your nose?"

Veronica touched her nose and found it painful and swollen under her fingers. "Ow, I don't know."

"Looks broken." Remus shifted on the couch and turned her head in his fingers. "Want me to fix it?"

"Can you?"

"Sure." Remus nodded, "I used to do it all the time in school. Just hold still for a moment." He fumbled with his wand and pointed it at her nose. "Episky"

Veronica's mouth opened in a silent scream as the cartilage of her nose cracked back into place and she let out a breath. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it." Remus leaned back and looked down at Sirius with concern. They had managed to remove the knife, which had thankfully missed anything vital and only pierced the meat of his shoulder. "God, I forgot what a mess a real fight can be."

"Yeah." Veronica nodded. "I don't know what I was expecting. But it wasn't that. Too bad about the prophecy."

"Well," Remus swallowed. "Better broken on the ground than in the hands of the Dark Lord. That was stupidly brave what you did back there."

"Thank you?"

"Severus is going to have kittens when I tell him."

"Oh, God." Veronica chuckled, exhausted and leaning into the couch cushions. "I'm not quite ready for all that." She glanced in the wall mirror in the hall and grinned a little. "I'm going to be black and blue from you two beating the hell out of me."

"Sorry about that."

"It's alright, I'll get you back" Veronica smirked. "Does it always feel like this?"

"Does what always feel like what?"

"After a fight?" Veronica elaborated. "I feel, I don't know, happy? Relaxed?"

"That's the adrenaline rush." Remus nodded. "It's different for everyone, but you'll crash in a little bit."

"What happened while I was running with the prophecy?"

"Well." Remus popped his back. "After you ran out, we were able to fight off the remaining Deatheaters, but something happened to Harry. It was like the Dark Lord possessed him." Remus went pale. "It was awful to watch, but Dumbledore must have said something to him because Harry was able to get him out. Then Dumbledore and Voldemort dueled, and I think Dumbledore won?"

"You think?"

"He just disappeared." Remus shook his head. "Then Fudge and a bunch of Aurors rushed it when it was all over because of course, they would. And now Fudge can't deny Voldemort has returned anymore."

"Christ." Veronica breathed. "All that while I was playing hide and seek with homicidal maniacs."

She sat back and rested her head on her stretched out arm, staring off into the distance. The second she closed her eyes, exhaustion washed over her, and she let out a loud yawn.

The floo went up in flames and she glanced over to see Severus enter with a large bottle of amber liquid.

"This is going to hurt." He warned them. "You'll have to pin him down again."

They did so and Severus straddled Sirius's legs so that he couldn't jerk away when he uncorked the bottle and began to freely pour the liquid into the cavernous gash.

The second the liquid seeped into the wound, Sirius's eyes bolted open and he began to buck and howl. Remus and Veronica held his limbs while Severus did his best to pin his spine to the floor until he emptied the bottle and rolled off of him.

"You can let his go now." He motioned to them to release his arms and once they did, Sirius leaped up and practically chased his own back as the burning liquid made his skin knit together like vines.

Once the pain faded, Sirius leaned over the couch and loud out ragged pants.

"What the hell was that?"

"A flesh knitting potion." Severus winced. "Nasty stuff, but you won't even scar."

Sirius loud out a loud, groaning sigh before standing up fully and popping his neck and back. "If I ever see that bitch Bellatrix again, I'll put a knife on her cheek."

"Dare you." Severus scoffed. He nudged Veronica and jerked his head to the floor "We have to get to the school, Dumbledore wants to talk."

"Now?" Veronica grumbled. "it can't wait till the morning?"

"It is the morning," Severus informed her. He glanced her way before turning fully and frowning. "What happened to you?!"

"Got beat up."

"By whom?!"

"Tweedle-dee and Tweedledum over there." Veronica smiled a little. "Don't blame them though, that thought they were beating up a Deatheater."

Severus grumbled and glared at the two other men but was still confused. Veronica smiled and kissed his cheek.

"I'll explain later."

Dumbledore greeted them warmly when they arrived and offered them seats which they gladly took.

"You two did well tonight." The headmaster smiled. "Especially you, Veronica. I must confess, I was immensely impressed by Kingsley's account of your heroism in the Department of Mysteries tonight."

Veronica smiled weakly and nodded. "Thank you, Headmaster."

"I owe you both an explanation." Albus continued. "For my disappearance."

They nodded and Albus looked around. "This year I have been studying Veronica's notes on the Dark Lord and Horcruxes. And during my time on the lamb, I have been trying to locate the Dark Lord's remaining Horcruxes."

Severus and Veronica sat up in surprise.

"To any success?" Severus pressed and Albus smiled a little.

"Indeed." The old man nodded. "I have obtained one, and the other I have determined in location but have not been able to obtain on my own."

He displayed a simple pyramid-shaped ring to them, which he wore on his own finger.

"This is the Gaunt ring." He explained. "When Veronica suggested that I trace the Gaunt line, I found two remaining artifacts. This ring, and the locket of Salazar Slytherin."

"and the locket?"

"Is unobtainable at the moment." Albus said grimly, "But I am working diligently to find a way to obtain it."

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Veronica asked.

Albus smiled at her softly and his eyes twinkled with something Severus would almost call sadness.

"My dear Ms. Largo." Albus stood. "Believe me when I say you will come to be of immense help in the near future. But in the meantime, I think it's only right for you both to get some rest."

Veronica took this to be her dismissal and she stood with a nod.

"If you could meet me in my quarters, actually." Severus stopped her. "I wish to speak before you go."

Veronica smiled and little and nodded before leaving the men to speak in private.

Severus turned to Dumbledore and found that the headmaster's face had turned grim. Clearly, there was a reason he had asked Veronica to go.

"Severus." He stood. "There is a way you can assist me. Please, take a seat."

Severus left the meeting ashen-faced, but with a set list of things he had to do before the sun was up.

He flooed to Grimmauld Place first thing and found Sirius and Remus sitting on the couch half asleep and chatting. They looked up as he entered, and while their expressions were not disdainful or hostile, they were not welcoming either.

"Lupin, I wonder if I might have a word with Black in private?" He asked and Remus looked to Sirius for confirmation before moving to the other room.

"News?" Sirius inquired expectantly and Severus shook his head.

"Not quite, I have something I wish to discuss with you."

"It can't wait until morning?"

"I'm afraid not." Severus didn't look at him, he didn't think himself physically able.

"Is there something wrong?"

"No."

Sirius growled in irritation. "Merlin's teeth, do I have to drag it out of you?"

Severus flinched slightly before sighing. "I….I owe you my thanks."

Sirius blinked in surprise, "What for?"

"That knife in your back." Severus explained, "Dumbledore told me what happened. Kingsley saw everything."

Sirius's face relax and he shrugged. "He did, did he?" he flopped on the couch.

"That knife was meant for Veronica, not for you." Severus pressed, "You almost sacrificed yourself for her, you could have died."

Sirius squirmed slightly, not used praises sounding more like accusations. "You say that like I committed a crime."

"I came to say thank you."

"Don't" Sirius stood and walked to the kitchen. "She would have done the same for me."

Severus knew Sirius would not fully take his praise, but all the same, he crossed his arms. "Black, whatever happens during this war, know that I will not forget what you did. You have my word on that."

Sirius looked back at him with a smirk that read more like a smile. "Well I didn't save her just for you to be standing in my kitchen talking, did I. Get out of here, I'm tired."

Severus's lips resisted a smile and he nodded, "Goodnight then."

Severus left and flooed into the dungeons to find that Veronica had already made herself at home in his bed. Curled up under the covers with her shoes kicked off, her battered face was peaceful.

He began to undress as he stared at her and crawl in beside her. He leaned over her shoulder and kissed it gently, causing her to stir from her light sleep.

"Severus." She cooed, turning to look up at him. "I was wondering when you'd show up."

"I got caught up." He whispered, slipping an arm over her.

"What did Dumbledore want?"

"He just told me about what you did tonight." He lied smoothly.

"Are you going to scold me?"

Severus chuckled lowly and kissed her again. "No, I'm very proud of you."

"Really?"

"Of course." He smiled and clung to her in the dark. He went silent for a while, feeling her breathing under him and knew that he only had a few moments before she would succumb to sleep.

"Veronica?"

"Hm?" She muttered, nearly fully gone.

"I-" He swallowed. "Let's get married."

Veronica when quiet for a moment before sitting up slightly and hitting the lamp to brighten the room.

"Married?" She blinked. "You're sure?"

"I'm positive." Severus sat back on his heels. "I love you more than anything in this world. And you deserve more than a fake marriage."

Veronica sat up fully and pulled her knees to her chest. "We can't do it publicly…"

"That doesn't matter." Severus shook his head. "At least, not to me."

Veronica thought for a moment and smiled. "We'll elope then? When?"

"Soon." Severus pressed. "The sooner the better."

"Tomorrow?" Veronica shuffled closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Or the day after?"

"Tomorrow." Severus agreed. "We'll get Kingsley to write the license, and that will be that."

"We'll still be missing something though."

"What?"

"Our child." Veronica frowned. "I miss him."

Severus looked down and nodded. "So do I. More than I thought possible. But when this is all over, we can bring him home. And we'll be a real family."

"Do you promise?"

"I promise." Severus lied. "I love you, Veronica."

"I love you too, Severus."

_**I couldn't do it, I couldn't him guys! I know it's a major canon deviation but Sirius had to live. I will make up for it with more angst, I promise. **_


	24. The Strength to Carry On

The ceremony was a peaceful one.

Kingsley agreed to sign the license, but also seal the document so that the union could be kept a secret.

There was one stipulation Veronica put on the table that she would not be moved from.

She wanted to be married by a priest.

Thankfully, she was able to find a muggle priest that would agree to do an elopement between a baptized Catholic and an ardent atheist.

Veronica didn't wear white, but she did wear a loose summer dress that she thought would be appropriate. Severus didn't wear a suit, but the fact that he wore something other than a black coat over a white button up was enough for her.

"You know, according to Church canon this is not an official marriage." The father reminded her after the wedding.

"I'm not so bothered by that, Father." She smiled. "But thank you for doing it anyway."

"Peace be with you, my child." The kindly priest smiled and watched them leave the chapel into the pouring rain.

"They say rain is good luck on a wedding day," Severus noted and Veronica blinked at him.

"Do they?"

"Certainly." Severus nodded. "nothing grows without rain. Now come on, time for the honeymoon."

"Honeymoon?" Veronica laughed. "You never said anything about a honeymoon."

"I wanted it to be a surprise, not come on." He pulled her hand to a sheltered gazebo and fished into his pocket for a small velvet pouch. "Touch on the count of three. One, two, three"

In a flash, they were whisked away by a magical wind and carried off. She vaguely heard Severus say the words "let go" after a few minutes and they landed in a field where they rolled down a hill after failing the landing.

The night was warm and full of insect noises, Veronica stood and looked around with her mouth open. "Severus…are we?"

"Yes."

"But, how did you?"

"I knew this was the only place you would trust." Severus wrapped an arm around his bride and kissed her temple. "Let's go, they're waiting for us."

They approached a wide, white porch with a familiar blue front door and Severus rang the bell expectantly. A rumble of feet came from the other side and the heavy blue door opened with a light metal screen one.

The large blonde woman spied them and instantly embraced them both with welcoming eagerness.

"Oh, my Baby!" Julia cooed. "Such a beautiful bride, even the second time around."

She led them into the house and Veronica nearly vibrated with excitement.

Four months, nearly half of his current age, and she hadn't been there. How big he must be now.

Severus couldn't help but be shocked by the sight of his son, surely this wasn't the infant he had held swaddled less than half a year ago.

His eyes had darkened to almost black, making them seem huge on his cherub face. But they lit up when he spotted newcomers. After first the parents feared that their son had forgotten them, that he had decided Julia and Thaddeus were his parents now.

But no sooner did they sit on the floor and pull him into their laps did his face split into a gummy smile and he began to squeal and laugh, making noises that were almost words.

"He knows his name very well" Julia updated them. "And he's almost walking!"

Veronica's eyes widened at this, "We've missed so much."

She held Valerian to her chest and marveled at him like one might a miracle. "I'm so sorry Vallie."

"You're here now." Julia patted her shoulder. "And that is all that matters. Calvin explained everything to me."

Veronica eyed Severus, who had been letting his wife enjoy their child for most of the time and smiled. "Sev."

"Hm?"

"Ready?" She turned Valerian towards his father and raised him up to his feet, she supported his little arms a bit as he got his bearing on wobbly legs. "Walk to Daddy, sweetheart. Walk to Daddy."

The tot laughed kicked out his legs in an attempt to walk, but nearly fell until Severus caught him. There were no words Severus could use to describe the emotions running through him. He was on the brink of being overwhelmed by the sheer amount of feeling in his body, he couldn't process it.

The boy laughed and pulled on his father's hair firmly.

"Ow, no," Severus said sternly. "We don't pull hair, it's barbaric."

Veronica laughed and watched her two men play with a glowing smile on her face as they sat on the rug peacefully. Thaddeus and Julia gave them privacy to enjoy their reunion, and it went on for hours until Severus realized that they would have to return soon.

"We have to go, Darling."

"What? No!" Veronica held her son close to her defensively. "We only just got here!"

Severus said nothing, looking at her silently and Veronica felt stinging tears in her eyes as looked at her son and let out a whimper.

"I don't want to go, not yet."

"Darling." Severus touched her shoulders. "You can come back and see him soon, you're his secret keeper. Remember?"

Veronica knew what he said was true, but she also knew it was a terrible risk. The more trips she made, the more danger she put her family in.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"What if he forgets about me?" She whispered. "What if he doesn't remember me next time?"

"Oh, Veronica." Severus's chest tightened. He wished there was something he could do to help, some way they could stay together. But, for now, it was impossible. So, instead, he took her by the shoulders from behind and pulled her close.

"He won't forget us, sweetheart." He assured her. "You're his mother, a child doesn't forget its mother no matter what."

Veronica sniffed and soon it was clear she was on the verge of weeping.

"But-" she sobbed, "But what is he remembers us, but he doesn't love us anymore." She grappled with the worst possible thoughts that flew through her head. "What is he thinks we don't care, or that we've abandoned him?"

"Veronica, please." Severus hugged her tighter. "You need to stop torturing yourself like this! He'll remember us, and he will always love you! But, for now, we have to leave."

Veronica let out a shaking sigh and called back in Julia.

"Veronica, Dumplin." The older witch gasped. "Why are you crying?!"

"We need to leave." She sniffed. "Before someone traces us here."

She was reluctant to pass her son back to her aunt and held him tightly, placing one last kiss on his face before passing him out of her arms. The action tore her heart in two.

"I love you so much, my darling." She assured him. "Mummy and Daddy will be back soon. We promise. We're going to come back for you, but for now, you have to stay with Auntie Julia and Uncle Thaddeus. I love you so much."

She wiped her tears and looked to Julia.

"Please" she begged. "Please make sure he doesn't forget us. That he knows about us, and that we'll be back for him."

"Oh, honey." Julia sighed, cupping her niece's cheek. "I will, my hand to God I will."

Severus wrapped his arm around her shoulder and thanked his in-laws for everything they'd done before leading Veronica out into the warm night.

"It hurts." His wife whispered. "Why does it have to hurt so badly?"

"Because if it didn't hurt, we wouldn't have a reason to do all of this." Severus replied. "we'll see him again soon, I promise."

"Okay" she nodded and wiped her eyes. "is it terribly bad luck for a bride to cry on her wedding day?"

"No." Severus smiled. "I don't believe in luck."

"What about the rain?"

"That's different. The rain is good luck, and we need all of that we can get."

They used the portkey to return to Hogwarts in secret and kissed each other soundly before Veronica returned to Grimmauld Place.

Severus took a deep breath and sat in his chair in contemplative silence.

He knew what he had just done was selfish and perhaps even cruel, but it was also the last opportunity he might have for a moment of true happiness. Seeing her stand before him, even during an unorthodox ceremony, was an image that would give him the strength to carry on with what must be done.

He only hoped that Veronica could forgive him when it was all said and done.


	25. Killer Bee

If you're ready for the next entry in the saga, head on over to my newest story, Killer Bee.

_**With the Dark Lord's forces growing each day, Veronica returns to Hogwarts with a new role and all new dangers looming around the corner.**_


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